LEEDS, England -- On a night when fans set a Liverpool shirt alight in protest at the club's involvement in plans for a European Super League, the persistence of a saxophonist outside Elland Road, who played ABBA's "Money, Money, Money" throughout Leeds United's 1-1 draw against last season's Premier League champions, provided a mournful soundtrack to the existential crisis facing football as we know it.

For 90 minutes, the lone musician played the same song as Liverpool -- one of the 12 breakaway clubs branded the "dirty dozen" by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin earlier in the day -- saw their Champions League qualification hopes dashed by Diego Llorente's 87th-minute header, which cancelled out Sadio Mane's first-half opener.

Talking about Champions League qualification for Liverpool seems almost laughable considering their involvement in the Super League plan. If Ceferin's tough talking is to be believed, they and every other club signed up to the proposal will be banned from competing anyway, but as it stands, they might not even make the top four after failing to beat Marcelo Bielsa's team.

Then again, the jeopardy that comes with playing in a competitive league, in which you can be champions one year and halfway down the table the next, is one of the big reasons Liverpool and their Super League partners want to create a closed-shop league that will guarantee annual participation against their fellow super clubs for the rest of time. It's just not what the fans, or anyone outside the Super League boardrooms, want, though. They want to see games like this, when Leeds can upset the odds and land a blow on the bigger and richer teams who want it all their own way.

If those involved with the breakaway clubs were in any doubt as to the anger that their Super League plan has generated among football supporters, the greeting afforded to the Liverpool team bus prior to the game, by fans of both sides, will have given them a sharp dose of reality. Up to a thousand fans had amassed outside Elland Road, despite rules prohibiting large gatherings due to COVID-19 safety measures, and they welcomed the Liverpool bus with boos, jeers and anti-Super League chants. Some fans even attempted to block the vehicle's path into the car park.

A plane flew overhead, trailing a "Say No to Super League" message, while banners were displayed by supporters with anti-Super League slogans and one that read: "RIP LFC -- Love for the working class game ruined by GR££D and CORRUPTION."

Inside the stadium, a huge banner had been placed on the seats behind one goal, reading: "Earn it on the pitch, football is for the fans." Prior to kickoff, the Leeds players wore T-shirts with the same slogan under a Champions League logo during the warm-up.

The T-shirts had also been left on the benches inside the Liverpool changing room, perhaps optimistically hoping for Jurgen Klopp's players to wear them too, but those players, paid by the owners who want to break away, opted against such an incendiary move. Klopp, while saying he could "understand why people aren't happy about [the Super League]," was unhappy with Leeds for placing the shirts in the Liverpool dressing room. "If someone thinks they have to remind us that we have to earn it to play in the Champions League, it's a joke. A real joke," he said.

Leeds are one of those clubs most likely to be disenfranchised by the Super League plan. A big club with a proud history and tradition -- Leeds have been English champions three times since Tottenham Hotspur last managed it in 1961 -- Leeds would argue they have the fan base and potential to play in the Champions League, as they did in the early 2000s.

After 16 years outside the Premier League, Bielsa's team has made an impressive return to the top flight this season, but Leeds are maybe two to three years from challenging for Champions League qualification. But by then, who knows how the landscape will look? Will there even be a Champions League two to three years from now? The attempts by the Super League cabal to create their own exclusive club will all but end Leeds' hopes of re-creating their glory days, which is perhaps why director of football Victor Orta stood with a protest T-shirt in the director's box before kickoff.

Leeds believed they had reclaimed their place alongside the elite with promotion last season, enabling them to renew a rivalry with Liverpool dating back to 1924, which saw this being the 117th meeting between the two clubs. But Liverpool's owners would rather play the whites of Real Madrid than those of Leeds United, and there is no escaping that.

In normal times, without stadiums being closed because of the pandemic, a full and noisy Elland Road would have given a clear message to those aiming to destroy the fabric of English football, and every other top league. But even without fans inside the ground, the scenes outside and the T-shirts worn by the Leeds players got the point across.

Liverpool captain James Milner, a former Leeds player, was surprisingly blunt in his assessment of the breakaway plan, saying, "I don't like it one bit and I hope it won't happen. Coming into the game today, Leeds fans were making their feelings shown. As players, we don't really have a say, so it feels a bit unjust. All we can do is try and win football matches."

That was a sentiment his manager shared. "The Leeds fans were shouting at us on our walk in the city today and when we arrived at the ground," Klopp said. "But we have nothing to do with it. We are human beings, and maybe the Leeds fans didn't know that."

Leeds forward Patrick Bamford joined Milner in voicing his opposition to the proposals. "From what I have seen, I haven't seen one fan who is happy, and football is ultimately about the fans," he said. "Without the fans, football is nothing, and it is important we stand our ground and show football is for the fans."

But the rebel owners, who are attempting to take their clubs where nobody wants them to go, have arrogantly underestimated football and its supporters. The protests at Elland Road are likely only to be the start of things.

The ECB are confident they will be able to fulfil their home international fixture programme despite India being added to the 'red list' of countries from which most travel to the UK has been banned due to fears of a new Covid variant.

Under new regulations, most people who have been in India in the last 10 days will be banned from entering the UK from 4am on Friday. British or Irish residents, or those with residence rights within the UK, will be obliged to serve a 10-day quarantine period. There is, at present, no dispensation available to allow sportspeople to train out of their rooms while they serve that quarantine period.

There is a concern that a new variant of the virus, which appears to be relatively prevalent in India, could spread more easily and prove more resistant to vaccinations. The UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has cancelled a visit to India which was scheduled to take place next week.

India are scheduled to play in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June and a five-Test series against England starting in August. Pakistan, which is also on the red list, are also scheduled to play ODI and T20I series in England in the coming months, while India's women's team is also scheduled to play a series in June.

But although the ECB are likely to require dispensation from the UK government to stage such tours, they are optimistic that all games will be given the go-ahead.

Having fulfilled their full home schedule in 2020, the ECB feel they have the experience and capability to combat the demands of the situation. Crucially, they also believe they gained the confidence of the UK government by demonstrating their ability to build an effective bio-bubble and stage matches without compromising safety. England were able to host series against West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia in 2020 with players of all sides obliged to abide by strict protocols, including serving quarantine periods.

"We are currently discussing with Government the impact of countries being on the 'red list'," an ECB spokesperson said. "By working collaboratively we demonstrated how we can stage international cricket safely in the middle of a pandemic and hope to be able to do so again this year."

It is unlikely the news will have much of an impact on England's players involved in the IPL. While some may be alarmed at infection rates in India - new cases have risen to over 200,000 a day and only the USA has reported more deaths from the virus - the players are already living in bio-bubbles and playing in empty stadiums.

It could, however, lengthen the process by which players can appear elsewhere, having been involved in the IPL. That could make it difficult for players at the IPL to be available for the Test series between New Zealand and England which starts on June 2. New Zealand players involved in the tournament include their captain, Kane Williamson, while England players involved include Jos Buttler. The IPL final takes place on May 30.

The ICC are also confident that the World Test Championship final, due to be played at the Ageas Bowl near Southampton in June, will go ahead as planned, although they may need the UK government to grant dispensation for the event, and for the hotel at the ground to be considered an approved quarantine centre.

"We are currently discussing with the UK Government the impact of countries being on the 'red list'," an ICC spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. "The ECB and other Members have demonstrated how we can stage international cricket safely in the middle of a pandemic and we are confident that we can continue to do that and that the World Test Championship Final will go ahead as planned in June in the UK."

Tonight we have MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings facing off against Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals. We'll have the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur against the likes of Jos Buttler, David Miller, Chris Morris and Jaydev Unadkat. If this blog doesn't load for you, click here. For our ball-by-ball commentary, click here

South Africa's cricketers have apologised to sponsors and fans for the administrative upheaval that has led to ministerial intervention into Cricket South Africa (CSA).

National captains Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma and Dane van Niekerk along with South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) president Khaya Zondo signed a statement urging that cricket's issues be resolved to stop the game being "severely prejudiced," by the threat of suspension from both the government and the ICC.

Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa has issued notice of his readiness to use the National Sports and Recreation Act to intervene in CSA after the board's failure to establish a new Memorandum of Incorporation that will pave the way for a majority independent board. The Act gives Mthethwa the right to withdraw CSA's status as the game's governing body, which would mean the national teams could not claim to represent South Africa. If Mthethwa uses that power, the ICC could interpret his actions as going against their code of conduct, which forbids government interference and could result in South Africa being isolated from the global game too.

SACA fear "dire consequences", including an impact on the financial viability on the game and spoke directly to corporate backers in its statement.

"As players, we wish to speak directly to the many sponsors of our beloved game - such as SAB, Betway, Momentum, KFC," the statement read. "We recognise and acknowledge that your involvement in the game supports our careers and provides funding for the development of the game throughout South Africa. We apologise for the actions of our administrators who have undermined and betrayed your commitment to the sport. And finally, to the most important stakeholder in the game - the public - we ask that you continue to support cricket. It is the most wonderful game, and we are immensely proud to represent you on the field."

It is not yet known what Mthethwa's intervention will be or when it will be enacted after his office issued a statement on Sunday saying the necessary steps would be taken in the coming week. South Africa are currently in the off-season, following the conclusion of the men's series against Pakistan on Friday, and neither the men nor the women have any confirmed fixtures for the next two months. However, SACA have the bigger picture in mind and are concerned that the schedule could be irreparably affected.

"The Women's team has enjoyed unparalleled success over the past 14 months, and the women's game in South Africa is on the verge of significant expansion," the statement continued. "The development of the game is now under serious threat, and at a time when we should be enthusiastic about the future, we have to be concerned about its future. The men's team has an ICC World T20 Event in November. Preparation has already started for this event, and the current state of cricket administration undermines our work in this regard. It may even lead to our suspension from this event should the ICC decide to suspend South Africa."

South Africa don't have to look too far for a precedent in that regard. In 2018, Zimbabwe were unable to play in qualifiers for the T20 World Cup because the board was suspended by the ICC for government interference and, as a result, they will miss out on this year's tournament.

CSA can avoid ministerial interference if the Members' Council - the organisation's highest decision-making body consisting of 14 provincial presidents - agrees on an MOI that lays the foundation for a majority independent board and independent chair. The Members' Council voted against this at a Special General Meeting on Saturday.

The longest Australian season ever has wrapped up but there won't be much downtime for some players. A group have already been at the IPL for a few weeks and the cohort with county cricket deals will soon start taking the field. Here's where they will be, what they'll offer their clubs and what they could stand to gain.

CC = County Championship, RLC = Royal London Cup (50 overs, starts July 22), T20 = T20 Blast (starts June 9)

Sean Abbott - Surrey (CC - from late May, T20)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 8; Runs: 570; Average: 63.33 | Wickets: 21; Average: 29.14
Marsh Cup Matches: 4; Runs 93; Average: 31.00 | Wickets 10; Average: 15.20; Econ: 4.53
BBL Matches: 4; Wickets: 7; Average: 18.71; Econ: 9.35

Had an outstanding domestic season where he was New South Wales' second-most consistent batsmen behind Moises Henriques while his four wickets in the Shield final made put him second behind Nathan Lyon as he developed into a full-fledged allrounder. Was also their leading wicket-taker in the one-day competition after taking four in the final against Western Australia. His BBL campaign was limited to a handful of matches due to being in the Australia Test bubble.

Australia ambitions
Was part of the Test squad for the postponed South Africa having been around the set-up all season and played ODIs and T20Is against India. With the emergence of Cameron Green and the depth of fast bowling available the limited-overs formats may be the more accessible to him. He said that his main aim with the Surrey deal was to keep his name in the frame for the T20 World Cup.

Cameron Bancroft - Durham (CC)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 8; Runs: 678; Average: 48.42

A strong bounce-back season for Bancroft after he averaged just 13.16 in 2019-2020 and frequently fell to catches at leg gully as opposition exploited a major technical weakness. Although an average of 48 needs to tempered by a season where many batters filled their boots this was much more like the Bancroft that earned international honours.

Australia ambitions
Hasn't played since the 2019 Ashes and with the emergence of Will Pucovski and the recall of Marcus Harris against India he is some way down the list at the moment although it's certainly not out of the question that he could get another go.

Ben Dwarshuis - Worcestershire (T20)

Marsh Cup Matches: 4; Wickets 8; Average: 18.75; Econ: 4.39
BBL Matches: 13; Wickets: 24; Average: 16.79; Econ: 8.85

He is a versatile white-ball bowler who holds his own with New South Wales' international cohort and remains a standout performer for Sydney Sixers where he was their leading wicket-taker in the successful title defense. Bowls a lot of tough overs in the Powerplay, Power Surge and at the death.

Australia ambitions
He was part of an Australia T20 squad in 2017-18 but has not featured since despite consistent returns and may struggle to squeeze past the amount of bowling options available.

Peter Handscomb - Middlesex (CC, RLC)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 8; Runs: 511; Average: 46.45
Marsh Cup Matches: 4; Runs 299; Average: 74.75

Will be captain of Middlesex. Was leading a Victoria side blooding a number of young players this season and wins were hard to come by, but personally the returns were solid with a standout contribution being the century against New South Wales to help earn a draw.

Australia ambitions
Has slipped someway down the pecking order but has time to force his way back if he can string together a strong county campaign and then start next summer well in Australia. His renowned ability against spin could put him in the frame for the subcontinent tours next year if the selectors go horses for courses.

Marcus Harris - Leicestershire (CC, RLC)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 8; Runs: 695; Average: 63.18
Marsh Cup Matches: 3; Runs 72; Average: 24.00

An impressive Shield season included a double century which was part of the record stand of 486 with Will Pucovski although his unbeaten hundred in tricky conditions against Queensland was an equally good innings. Still has a bit of a habit of not quite cashing in on the number of starts he makes, but Chris Rogers' arrival at Victoria appears to have been good for his game.

Australia ambitions
Was recalled to the Test side for the decider against India in Brisbane when Pucovski was injured, but with such a long gap between matches incumbency may not mean much come next summer. However, plenty of runs for Leicestershire will keep him in the selectors' minds.

Travis Head - Sussex (all formats)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 7; Runs: 893; Average: 68.69
Marsh Cup Matches: 5; Runs 276; Average: 55.20
BBL Matches: 4; Runs: 70; Average: 17.50; S/R: 98.59

A prolific season for South Australia as he filled his boost either side of losing his Test place, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the Shield, including a career-best 223 against Western Australia. Also churned out the runs in one-day cricket although as captain could not lead the Redbacks to a single victory all season. Had limited chance to make an impact in the BBL for Adelaide Strikers and couldn't get going.

Australia ambitions
Having been dropped after two Tests against India to accommodate the return of David Warner, debut for Pucovski and retention of Matthew Wade, Head would have had a good chance of reclaiming his spot in South Africa although faced competition from Henriques. With the selectors now seemingly moving on from Wade he'll be firmly in the running for the No. 5 spot in the Ashes, especially if he impresses with Sussex.

Josh Inglis - Leicestershire (T20)

BBL Matches: 17; Runs: 413; Average: 34.41; S/R: 140.00

Must have been a tempting all-formats signing for somebody after an outstanding all-round domestic summer for Western Australia and Perth Scorchers, but it will just be T20s for him with Leicestershire. A hugely versatile batter and excellent wicketkeeper he is something of a rarity in Australia in that he has adapted to a move from the top of the Scorchers' order to the middle.

Australia ambitions
Very close to recognition. Could easily have made either the Test or T20I squad a couple of months ago, although there is no shortage of keepers in the latter. Making a strong claim to move ahead of Alex Carey to replace Tim Paine. This county spell could help him make a late T20 World Cup push.

Marnus Labuschagne - Glamorgan (CC, RLC)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 8; Runs: 821; Average: 82.10
Marsh Cup Matches: 4; Runs 145; Average: 36.25

Heading back to where the rise really started. The story of his development at Glamorgan ahead of the 2019 Ashes is well known, but no one could truly have known the heights he would already have reached. Capped his Australian summer with the defining innings, 192, of the Sheffield Shield final and he was the only batter to score four hundreds in the competition (and made another against India). Few would have blamed him for wanting some time off, but his love of batting holds no bounds.

Australia ambitions
Reckon he's going okay on that front. On a slightly more serious point it will be interesting to watch how his 50-over batting continues to develop and he is not yet in Australia's T20 plans (he won't be playing the Blast for Glamorgan, either).

Mitchell Marsh - Middlesex (T20)

BBL Matches: 15; Runs: 315; Average: 39.37; S/R: 147.88 | Wickets: 4; Average: 18.75; Econ: 6.52

One of the strongest hitters of a cricket ball going around, Marsh should provide a dynamic package for Middlesex in the Blast. Had a good season with the bat for the Scorchers in the BBL but his bowling was limited by injury - something he has had to deal with frequently over the last few years.

Australia ambitions
Is firmly in plans for the T20 World Cup having featured on the recent New Zealand tour although his position rarely feels entirely secure. Has the game to be a finisher in the middle order.

Ben McDermott - Derbyshire (RLC, T20)

Marsh Cup Matches: 2; Runs 68; Average: 34.00
BBL Matches: 12; Runs: 402; Average: 36.54; S/R: 139.58

At his best he can be hugely destructive and he was the leading run-scorer for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. His one-day season was limited by being in the Australia T20 squad. Offers another wicketkeeping option for any team he plays for, but also superb in the outfield.

Australia ambitions
Is in the thinking for T20 World Cup although could struggle to make the final cut depending on squad sizes. Has even been talked about as a Test candidate despite just two first-class centuries (the second coming for Australia A against India this season) but white-ball cricket would seem the likelier opportunity.

Michael Neser - Glamorgan (CC, RLC)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 8; Runs: 161; Average: 32.20 | Wickets: 18; Average: 24.33
Marsh Cup Matches: 3; Wickets: 6; Average: 15.83

Started the season in style with a century and a five-wicket haul in the same match against Tasmania then claimed another five-for to set-up the Sheffield Shield final victory. If there is any assistance in a surface Neser will find it. Should provide huge value for Glamorgan.

Australia ambitions
Is there a player more unfortunate to not yet have a Test cap? Rightly or wrongly still feels that he needs at least a couple of injuries or players to lose form to push his way in. Isn't really in the frame for the ODI side.

Billy Stanlake - Derbyshire (all formats)

Marsh Cup Matches: 4; Wickets 6; Average: 19.66
BBL Matches: 12; Wickets: 13; Average: 24.92; Econ: 8.34

An interesting all-formats signing by Derbyshire given he did not feature in the Shield for Queensland this season. Gave a reminder of what he can offer with a career-best 4 for 24 in the Marsh Cup and was solid for Melbourne stars in the BBL

Australia ambitions
Well down the list now having last appeared in late 2019 and it would be a surprise if he was back in contention next season.

Peter Siddle - Essex (CC, RLC)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 6; Runs: 146; Average: 24.33 | Wickets: 18; Average: 28.16
Marsh Cup Matches: 2; Wickets: 4; Average: 19.50

Remains a hugely consistent and skillful seam bowler and the average of 28 from this season does not do justice to how well he often bowled for his new state Tasmania having moved from Victoria.

Australia ambitions
Having earned ODI and Test recalls in 2019 he retired from the international game last season.

Daniel Worrall - Gloucestershire (all formats)

Sheffield Shield Matches: 5; Wickets: 12; Average: 45.41
Marsh Cup Matches: 4; Wickets: 4; Average: 47.00
BBL Matches: 11; Wickets: 10; Average: 27.10; Econ: 7.29

A stalwart domestic performer for South Australia and Adelaide Strikers he will be happy to put in some big shifts if needed for Gloucestershire. As with all the Redbacks' bowlers this season there was plenty of toil. In the BBL he produced some outstanding new-ball bursts for the Strikers and in T20 is a candidate to bowl the majority of his overs upfront if conditions suit.

Australia ambitions
His three ODI caps came back in 2016 and the chances of further representation have probably passed him by.

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau played in his 1,768th career game on Monday night at the Vegas Golden Knights, breaking Hall of Famer Gordie Howe's record for the most in NHL history.

Marleau, 41, began his career with San Jose in the 1997-98 season. Marleau set the games played record in 23 seasons. Howe, who like Marleau is a native of Saskatchewan, Canada, amassed his total over 26 seasons, before "Mr. Hockey" finally retired at age 51.

This was the 899th consecutive game in which he's played, the second longest current iron-man streak among active players.

Marleau started the game on right wing for the Sharks. The announcement that he had set the record was made at the first stoppage in play. He took a spin around the ice with his stick in the air. A video message was played from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, congratulating Marleau on a career that "shows no signs of slowing down." The fans in Vegas, including some Sharks supporters and Marleau's family, gave him a standing ovation.

"You don't really know how you're supposed to feel. There's a game tonight, but there's also a lot of things going on at the same time," Marleau said before the game. "I'm just trying to embrace it and take it all in. I love being able to thank the people that helped me along the way."

The Sharks celebrated the occasion with some wardrobe additions, too. They added a sticker featuring a silhouette of Marleau next to his signature, his No 12 and "1,768 games played." The same logo was featured on the right shoulder of their jerseys. They had hooded sweatshirts featuring a cartoon drawing of Marleau celebrating a goal. Goalie Martin Jones wore a new mask with Marleau's name painted on the side.

Marleau was given a pair of commemorative gloves during practice with the grammatically challenged "Most Games Played In NHL History: 1,768th NHL Games" emblazoned on them, along with logos of the Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins, the three teams for whom he's played.

Before the game, the Sharks' local television affiliate ran video tributes from members of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, Oakland Athletics and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who congratulated Marleau on his longevity and said, "I played in about 900 games in the NBA, and I can barely walk."

Congrats from around The Bay! ?#BayAreaUnite pic.twitter.com/kfoajUuyrO

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) April 20, 2021

The Golden Knights are the Sharks' arch-rival, but they were in awe of Marleau's achievement, too.

"As much as you hate your opponent, as much as you want to beat your opponent, you still respect your opponent. I think everyone in our locker room respects the hell out of what he's doing," said captain Mark Stone. "For him to play 82 games a season, never miss a game, always be there, it speaks volumes about what kind of professional he is."

BOSTON -- Jayson Tatum recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career Monday night, but it coincided with both his worst shooting night of the season and the end of Boston's six-game winning streak.

While Tatum finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 102-96 loss to the Chicago Bulls, he shot just 3-for-17 (17.6 percent) from the field -- the first time he shot below 20 percent in a game this season -- as the Celtics failed to make yet another fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Bulls.

"I wasn't scoring like I normally do, so I was just trying to impact the game as much as I could in other ways to try to help us get a win tonight," Tatum said. "Had too many turnovers, obviously didn't shoot well. Just a tough night.

"One of the nights you wish you could have back."

On a night when Boston was without four key players -- Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart due to a non-COVID illness, Robert Williams with a knee issue and Evan Fournier remaining in the league's health and safety protocols -- the Celtics were heavily reliant on Tatum and Jaylen Brown to carry them offensively.

And while Tatum didn't come close to matching Brown's 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting, he did have one of his best passing games of the season, including a couple of spectacular alley-oop passes on separate occasions to Brown and Jabari Parker for fast-break buckets.

Ultimately, though, the Celtics were doomed by being outscored by a combined 34-11 margin in second-chance points (18-4) and points off turnovers (16-7) by the Bulls, who have now won two straight games after losing 11 of their previous 14.

Boston also struggled to contain Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, as the All-Star had 29 points and nine rebounds, including four of the team's nine offensive boards on the night.

"I thought their length affected us defensively," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "We didn't have much threat at the rim tonight. I thought we tried to get there, but it was pretty jammed up, as you saw. And we struggled to finish when we did get there. They deserve a lot of credit. They impacted us on our drives big time.

"Our guys fought. [We] gave ourselves a chance."

After Boston came back from double-digit deficits to beat the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors last week, the Celtics were the ones who led by 12 early in this game, only to eventually fall behind by eight after three quarters.

The Celtics made a late push, including tying the game at 90 with 3:25 remaining on a Brown 3-pointer with 3:25 remaining, before the Bulls immediately responded with six straight points to retake a lead they would never relinquish.

"We missed some shots that we usually make on that stretch they went on," said rookie Payton Pritchard, who started at point guard in place of Walker and scored 14 points in 31 minutes. "Obviously, they're really physical inside, which makes it tough [for] us, defensively, having to come down and help or something like that. They're definitely very physical inside."

Dallas Mavericks director of player personnel Tony Ronzone has been fired after the organization learned new information pertaining to a sexual assault allegation made public last summer, a source confirmed to ESPN's Tim MacMahon on Monday.

Sports Illustrated reported in July that a woman said Ronzone had forced himself on her in his Las Vegas hotel room during the NBA's annual summer league in July 2019. According to the report, the woman said Ronzone forcibly kissed her, groped her, pinned her on a bed and placed her hand on his crotch after he had invited her to his hotel to give her summer league tickets.

Mark Baute, Ronzone's attorney, told Sports Illustrated via email last summer that the woman's "claims are meritless."

The woman first notified the Mavericks of the alleged assault in an email to team owner Mark Cuban in September 2019, leading to an internal investigation overseen by CEO Cynthia Marshall, who was hired by Cuban to change the culture of the organization after a 2018 Sports Illustrated report detailed widespread inappropriate sexual behavior and misogyny in the franchise's business operations.

Marshall told Sports Illustrated last summer that Ronzone at the time remained in his role with the team because "there was no evidence presented of sexual assault."

The Mavericks called the Sports Illustrated report a "one-sided, incomplete and sensational form of journalism, with its inaccuracies, mischaracterizations and omissions" in a statement shortly after it was published last summer.

The team also said the formal investigation into the allegation was closed "pending further credible evidence emerging and the zero-tolerance policy remains."

The Dallas Morning News first reported that Ronzone had been fired.

Star rookie guard LaMelo Ball has been cleared to resume individual basketball activity after a CT scan on his fractured right wrist showed that it has healed, the Charlotte Hornets said Monday.

According to the team, Ball had further evaluation on the wrist by Dr. Michelle Carlson of The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City on Monday.

While the Hornets did not say when Ball will be able to return to game action, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that there's optimism he could be ready to return to the lineup in 7-10 days.

Ball suffered the injury on a fall in a March 20 loss to the LA Clippers.

The third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Ball has averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds this season.

With Kobe Bryant's five-year, post-retirement endorsement extension with Nike having expired this month, Vanessa Bryant and the Kobe Bryant estate elected not to renew the partnership, she confirmed to ESPN in a statement Monday night.

"Kobe's Nike contract expired on 4/13/21," Vanessa Bryant, widow of the Lakers legend, told ESPN. "Kobe and Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe. It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband's product than any other signature shoe."

According to a source, Bryant and the estate had grown frustrated with Nike limiting the availability of Kobe product during his retirement and after his January 2020 death in a helicopter crash. There was also frustration with the lack of availability of Kobe footwear in kids sizes, according to sources.

Nike, sources said, had presented an extension offer that was not in line with expectations of an ongoing "lifetime" structure similar to the Nike Inc. contracts held by both Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

"My hope will always be to allow Kobe's fans to get and wear his products," Vanessa Bryant said. "I will continue to fight for that. Kobe's products sell out in seconds. That says everything.

"I was hoping to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband's legacy. We will always do everything we can to honor Kobe and Gigi's legacies. That will never change."

It is believed that all future releases of Kobe Bryant-branded footwear and apparel manufactured by Nike will be halted. The Kobe Bryant estate could enter into negotiations with outside brands to form a new partnership.

Vanessa Bryant also confirmed to ESPN that the Kobe Bryant estate owns the rights to both the "Mamba" logo and his signature. The "Sheath" logo often featured on the tongue of Nike's Kobe sneakers is mutually owned by both sides, according to a source.

"Kobe Bryant was an important part of Nike's deep connection to consumers," Nike told ESPN in a statement. "He pushed us and made everyone around him better. Though our contractual relationship has ended, he remains a deeply loved member of the Nike family."

After scoring 60 points in his final NBA game on April 13, 2016 -- dubbed "Mamba Day" by Nike in an extravagant farewell campaign -- Bryant had a five-year endorsement extension contract in place that continued the partnership into his retirement.

Before he died, Bryant had explored the notion of creating his own Mamba brand upon the expiration of the existing Nike deal, even meeting in December 2019 with a creative agency that could potentially help design and execute a future product series.

After originally signing with Nike in 2003, Bryant created an impactful partnership with the brand that extended into the remainder of his Hall of Fame career. He headlined sneakers such as the Zoom Huarache 2K4 and 2K5, the industry-shifting Hyperdunk at the 2008 Olympics and 11 signature models under the Nike Kobe series.

With the launch of the Kobe 4, during Bryant's resurgent 2008-09 championship season with the Los Angeles Lakers, the sneaker design ushered in a new era of low tops around the league. Once worn by just a handful of point guards across all 30 teams, low tops soon were spotted on players at all positions, on every team. Nearly half of the league now wears low-top sneakers in games.

Once he had retired from the NBA, a series of both retro and newly created sneakers were released within the past five years. Bryant coined the term "Protro," grounded on the insight that he wanted to upgrade his past shoes with modern constructions and technologies -- a pro-level, updated retro edition of his past sneakers.

Several of Nike's top non-signature athletes have made a routine of playing in Kobe sneakers, both out of a love for the performance features and as an ongoing tribute. In recent seasons, Devin Booker, P.J. Tucker, DeMar DeRozan, Buddy Hield, Isaiah Thomas and several others have created their own player-exclusive colorways of Kobe Protro models to continue his sneaker legacy.

The Kobe 1, 4, 5 and 6 were all rereleased through that Protro lens in recent years. During the NBA's bubble restart of the 2019-20 season, 102 players wore a Kobe-branded sneaker, the most of any player's sneaker line in the league.