I Dig Sports
Westbrook 'a wolf,' fuels Nuggets' improbable win
SAN FRANCISCO -- Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone considered Monday's road matchup against the Golden State Warriors to be the kind of game that reveals a lot about the psyche of players.
The Nuggets sat three starters -- three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, co-star Jamal Murray and Christian Braun -- because of nagging injuries against a Golden State team that entered the night with the NBA's longest winning streak.
"There's some guys who would think, 'Do I really feel like playing tonight?'" Malone said after the Nuggets pulled off a 114-105 win at Chase Center, citing Russell Westbrook and Aaron Gordon as obvious exceptions. "What you love about Russ, what you love about AG [is their mentality]: 'All right, well, next man up. There's more opportunity for me.'"
Gordon, who had missed three of the previous four games because of a sore calf, scored 38 points, his most in a Denver uniform. Westbrook had 12 points, 11 rebounds, 16 assists and 3 steals.
"That ain't nothing new," said Westbrook, who added to his NBA record with his 203rd career triple-double. "You've seen that from me before."
It wasn't always an artistic performance by Westbrook, who went 5-of-17 from the floor with a few air balls and committed seven turnovers, prompting Malone to crack that he nearly had a quadruple-double. But Westbrook's relentless energy and intensity set the tone for an undermanned Denver squad.
"First off, Russ is not just a dog. He's a wolf," Gordon said. "He's different. Offensively and defensively, he's always on 10, always on 12."
The Nuggets shot 16-of-24 on passes from Westbrook, according to ESPN Research. It was his 44th career triple-double with at least 15 assists, one shy of tying Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson for the most in NBA history.
With Westbrook pushing the tempo, Denver dominated the game in transition. According to Second Spectrum tracking, Denver scored 37 transition points, the second most Golden State has allowed in a game this season.
"I felt from the get-go Russ' tenacity, his intensity, what he brings every single night," Malone said. "Just being a leader in the huddles, getting on guys, uplifting guys, whatever is needed at the time. That's why Russ has been such a great addition to us all season long."
Mirra Andreeva had an important apology to make right after winning the Indian Wells title.
Looking to her coaching team, she said sorry for being "as you like to say, a little brat" before her match against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
It's easy to forget Andreeva is just 17. She is playing with the maturity of a seasoned professional - and already cleaning up at some of the biggest tournaments on the WTA Tour.
Having become the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 event when she triumphed in Dubai last month, she continued her form in Indian Wells and lifted the trophy on Sunday with her 12th successive victory.
Impressive, right?
But her achievement is made even more remarkable by the fact she beat Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka - the world's top two players - over the weekend.
The way she regrouped after dropping the second set 6-1 to Swiatek was impressive, as was her mental fortitude after losing the first set of the final against Sabalenka.
No wonder the prodigiously talented teenager is being tipped as a future world number one - and Grand Slam champion.
Talk naturally leads to which Slam that is most likely to happen at, as it will with Britain's Jack Draper, who triumphed in the men's final.
In truth, it could be any of the four, as Andreeva possesses a skillset suited to any surface.
The Russian agrees, saying: "I like to play on clay, I like to play on hard, I like to play on grass. So I can say that all three of them are my favourites."
Getting through 'groundhog day' - how Draper became a Masters champion
Draper's rise over the past year has been solid and steady.
His first trophy came on the Stuttgart grass in June last year, followed by an ATP 500 hard-court title in Vienna in October.
His run to the US Open semi-finals captured the attention of the wider British public, although his nerves were illustrated by vomiting on court in a defeat by eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
Draper began seeing a "breathing coach" to help solve the issue, and he pointed to the way he came through the third set against Alcaraz as an example of his improved composure.
"I had a few doubts before the Indian Wells final wondering if would feel the same things - but I didn't," he said.
"I was really strong and focused on my breathing and things I could control. That's what I was really proud of."
The next step from Masters champion is a logical one - becoming a Grand Slam champion.
Winning Indian Wells is no guarantee of future major success but as Dominic Thiem, Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu have shown, coming through a 96-player field of the very best opponents is a strong indicator.
Hard courts have been Draper's most successful surface, but the next two majors are on the French Open clay-courts and Wimbledon grass.
So far he has struggled on clay, but his improved footwork should help, while the increasingly dangerous serve and groundstrokes are suited to grass-court success.
"I still feel I have a lot to prove on the clay," Draper added.
"I didn't get it going last year, but I don't see why I can't be pushing the best players on that surface.
"As for grass, I feel my game has improved massively since last year."
GB Sevens' Shekells in England Women's Six Nations squad
England head coach John Mitchell has included GB Sevens player Jade Shekells in his Women's Six Nations squad before their opener against Italy on Sunday.
The 2024 Paris Olympian, who recently played for GB in the Vancouver leg of the World Sevens Series in February, is uncapped in the XVs code.
Shekells is one of four players who might make their Red Roses debut in York, including Ealing's Abi Burton, Leicester's Charlotte Fray and Exeter's Flo Robinson.
Notable absences from the 37-woman squad are Harlequins hooker Connie Powell and Bristol wing Millie David.
The squad will be led for the first time by new captain Zoe Aldcroft, who helped Gloucester-Hartpury win the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) title for the third time in a row on Sunday.
Shekells has impressed in a handful of games for Gloucester-Hartpury at outside centre this season but has moved in and out of the Great Britain Sevens set-up. It is understood England are looking at her as a 12.
Wing Mia Venner is included after an excellent season, culminating in an impressive outing with club side Gloucester-Hartpury in the PWR final.
Venner is now in the mix for one of the most open selection battles before the Rugby World Cup in August.
The wing competition includes the comeback of Claudia MacDonald at Exeter, the return from injury of Jess Breach, Abby Dow's expected return from a hand injury and now Venner.
Harlequins hooker Connie Powell will not be able to add to her 19 caps as she is overtaken in the pecking order by Saracens' May Campbell.
Despite Saracens losing the PWR final, Campbell has had a stellar season at club level would have been near-impossible to leave out of the squad.
She has also proven her versatility with a number of appearances in the back row.
England are reigning Women's Six Nations champions and are aiming to win a seventh title in a row.
There were a couple of moments during the championship that reminded everyone of France scrum-half Antoine Dupont's fallibility.
Against Wales, he booted prime ball straight into the Stade de France stands. Against England, he juggled and dropped a relatively simple pass, with the line at his mercy.
The knee ligament injury he suffered against Ireland, buckling under Beirne's weight at the breakdown, reminded us of his mortality.
But there were plenty of glimpses of his greatness as well, the things that, for all deputy Maxime Lucu's speed of pass and territorial kicking, were lost to France in his absence.
Dupont's use of the kick-pass to circumvent a defence that has pinched in tight against France's power gives them another dimension.
In France's tournament opener, after their heavy brigade had bashed away at a stubborn Wales defence for 12 phases, Dupont picked up the ball and dawdled sideways and backwards off the back of the breakdown.
For most coaches, that is a cardinal sin. But it drew the Welsh defence forwards and when Dupont chipped to the far wing, Josh Adams was wrong-footed and unable to stop Theo Attissogbe gathering and scoring the first of 30 French tries in the tournament.
In Dupont's absence, France were even deploying the tactic in defence, with Louis Bielle-Biarrey punting wide to opposite wing Damian Penaud during an audacious exit against Ireland.
No other team deployed the tactic as accurately.
Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn and England wing Tommy Freeman are among the nominees for the 2025 Six Nations Player of the Championship award.
Kinghorn made a tournament-high 86 carries and nine line-breaks, while Freeman, who started England's final-round win over Wales at outside centre, became the first Englishman to score a try in each match of a Six Nations campaign.
Both players are contenders for British and Irish Lions selection for their summer tour to Australia after impressing in the tournament.
They are joined on the four-player shortlist by influential France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello, who won the award last year.
Top try-scorer Bielle-Biarrey scored eight - the highest number in the Six Nations era - and also made four assists as France claimed the title.
The powerful Menoncello impressed on both sides of the ball for the Azzurri, making three turnovers, the most of any back, and scoring two tries.
The winner will be decided by a fan vote, which closes on Monday, 24 March (22:00 GMT).
The Six Nations Team of the Championship, meanwhile, will be announced on Thursday, 20 March.
Away ends to be trialled at Premiership Rugby matches
Premiership Rugby is trialling away ends at two matches next month in a bid to boost atmosphere and attendances.
April's games between Saracens and Gloucester at the Stone X stadium and Leicester against Harlequins at Welford Road will have areas designated for travelling fans to sit together.
While there will be no segregation like at football matches, Saracens and Leicester will give away supporters the option to group into one block.
"Away fans can and will sit among the main crowd, this is just giving people a choice," said a Premiership Rugby source.
"This is not meant to be adversarial. It'll be done in the right spirit."
The league's governing body say they have taken advice from players who relish playing in front of a vibrant away support. It is expected a few hundred supporters will initially be part of the trial.
"It'll be enough fans to make a noise," added the source.
"The players say they feed off it, and it gets more out of the home fans as it creates a back and forth."
Across the Premiership, stadium occupancy has risen this season to around 81%, a 7% increase since 2023 as the league continues to recover from a turbulent period.
Faccinto Joins Trifecta Motorsports For Xtreme Outlaw Campaign
CONCORD, N.C. After two years of racing for Trifecta Motorsports at the Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink, Michael Faccinto will join the team full time this year.
The Hanford, Calif. driver enters his rookie campaign with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota as the gasser of the Stanton-powered Spike Chassis No.5U for co-owners Steve Carbone and Staton Flurry.
Ive been lucky enough to drive for Trifecta the last two years at the Chili Bowl, Faccinto said. I developed a really good relationship with Steve, they reached out and asked if I would be interested in doing this whole deal and I was all on board. Its going to be an exciting year, we got great partners behind us, and Im looking forward to get out there and get going.
Hell also have a familiar face by his side, as Bobby Janky Milliser will turn the wrenches on Faccintos machine as they reunite in their first chance to chase the series title.
Im at a pretty high confidence [level] with Trifecta, Faccinto said. Janky and I actually worked together quite a bit, probably seven or eight years ago, and when we got to work at Tulsa a couple of years ago, it just felt right at home.
Preparing for the 2025 season, Im excited to know the boys have been putting in the hard work with me being out in California, but I know theyre prepared to tackle the season. They want a championship, so I want to deliver it to them.
Faccinto has extensive open-wheel dirt racing experience, winning the 2022 USAC Western States Midget title and making various starts with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, American Sprint Car Series, USAC National Midgets and Micro Sprints.
Despite no Xtreme Outlaw starts to his name until the season-opening World of Outlaws Illini 100 changes the stat, Faccinto is savoring every second he gets on the track as his way of being fresh and fast at the start.
Track time, especially, is huge, Faccinto said. The track tendencies, running the curb or running the bottom, its obviously different than a Sprint Car or Micro, but that seat time, feeling it in your butt, its good to have that time in it. Im going to spend time with Xtreme, but also running Midgets out in California, Winged Sprint Cars and a Micro on the off nights by just staying busy and staying as sharp as I can.
The Californian is making his first touring endeavor outside of the West Coast U.S. with most of the tracks being new to him when he arrives for competition. Despite the unfamiliarity, hes got eyes on the season-opening World of Outlaws Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway, Coles County Speedway for the Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series doubleheader, and the Pennsylvania Xtreme Appalachian Midget Week.
To be honest, I havent really been to a lot of the places, Faccinto said. Im looking forward to Coles County. Ive seen a lot of videos of that place, and it looks right up my alley there. Even the season-opener at Farmer City, that track to me kind of fits the style.
But getting out to Pennsylvania, running those racetracks, you see it out in California, you see all the videos of Pennsylvania tracks and they look [made] for the Midgets. Theyre tight bullrings, just like California, so I would say those are what Im looking toward the most.
How Summer Nationals Has Built, Molded Dirt Racings Top Stars: Part II
CONCORD, N.C. Running every DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour race is not a task for the faint-hearted.
This years edition of the famed tour resembles the schedule of years past with a grueling pace of 31 races in 34 days. Not all have the resources or stamina complete it in full, but those who have took away lessons for their career and life.
In Part I of this series, Summer Nationals champions Ashton Winger, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr., Nick Hoffman and Tyler Erb talked about their path to the Hell Tour. Here, several of them expand on what it took to be successful on the tour.
Learning Yourself Through Hell
The challenge of taking good care of the race car and parts day in and day out teaches drivers about their work ethic and living lessons theyve used throughout their careers on national dirt Late Model tours.
2022 World of Outlaws Late Model champion Dennis Erb Jr took his lessons of mixing the positive and negatives he experienced from the time spent with the Summer Nationals that helped prepare him better for national dirt Late Model tours.
There were a lot of things there (to learn), Erb Jr said. Going up and down the road, taking care of all the equipment while racing near 30 nights in a row. You obviously had to make good decisions, definitely mixing good and bad, but theres a lot of things that went on through that time.
It was a learning curve to be able to learn how to race for points, know where to pick your battles throughout that month or two. There was a lot there that helped me as far as learning how to be consistent, finishing races, and being up front. That was one of the biggest things, where you can group them all together to concentrate on being consistent, because thats what wins championships.
Nick Hoffman had a special challenge in 2019 when it was just, he, his two-month-old son, Maddox, and his wife, Lacy, on the Hell Tour. Hoffman got by with only family by his side, recording 13 Feature wins and his second-career Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals title.
It definitely teaches you to work hard because you aint got a choice, Hoffman said candidly. Very grueling days, long weeks, but as long as you can put nights together and have a little bit of success, it makes it a hell of a lot easier. Its very rewarding, but it can also beat you down pretty quick.
Maddox, my firstborn, the first year I did it with just my wife and him, he was only two months old. So, it was just us three on the road, and thats a memory that Ill never forget as we were able to win the championship and race every single race. That will always be special to me.
Ashton Winger noted the difference in competition from traditional national tours. In 2023, he had to square up against Bloomington, ILs Jason Feger for his Hell Tour championship while racing against other prominent Illinois Bad Boys through the summer.
Winger compares the caliber of drivers to racing against southeastern staples Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, and Chris Madden.
I definitely think Feger has picked it up in the last few years, Winger said. Hes definitely gotten way better, but youre gonna have to race (Shannon) Babb everywhere, (Ryan) Unzickers fast, obviously Squirrel (Brian Shirley) and Bobby (Pierce) have gone onto the Outlaws.
I mean, hell, when I go, I feel like me and Terbo are probably the adopted sons of Illinois. Youre gonna race some guys that are coming up and the usual veterans, its like going to race (Brandon) Overton, (Jonathan) Davenport, and (Chris) Madden at Cherokee (Speedway). You go race with (Midwest) guys every single night in their backyard, and we always get to enjoy that.
Before scoring his first World of Outlaws Late Model championship in 2023, Bobby Pierce made a name for himself on the Summer Nationals tour, collecting five championships his last coming in 2022. When he moved to the World of Outlaws full-time in 2023 his first full year with the tour he was already driving and winning like a champion early in the season due to his experience gained on the Hell Tour.
I feel like Summer Nationals makes you better when youre racing all the time like that, Pierce said. Everyone gets into the routine more, and its like a muscle memory thing too when youre racing every time and its like riding a bike the next time you race. When you can do it, I think it just makes you better and gave me the confidence to go out and win.
Since scoring his lone Summer Nationals championship in 2013, Brandon Sheppard has gone on to hold the most victories and championships with the World of Outlaws Late Models. He too cited his acceptance of the grind on the Hell Tour as a key factor for his success on the national tour.
Basically, the experience [helped me], Sheppard said. What it takes to go up and down the road, and race night after night with no breaks, no days off, and even the days off were harder work than the days we raced. At the end of the day, it is the experience that if youre a young racer getting into the sport and need to gain experience in a short amount of time, [Summer Nationals] is a good way to do it for sure.
Theres no easy road on the Hell Tour. Not all can do it, but those who do find they leave a better driver and a better person. In Part III of this series out Monday, March 24 these champions share what it meant to win their first Hell Tour race and title and what those milestones meant to their careers.
Longtime team leader of Foley Lewis Racing, Tim Lewis, has passed away, the team revealed Monday afternoon.
Lewis was a successful businessman who in the late 1990s attended Doug Foleys drag racing school. It was there that the duo formed an almost 30-year relationship.
We started competing in Alcohol Dragster in the late 90s and made the leap to Top Fuel in 2004, Foley said in a statement. This was an unattainable dream that Tim made happen. We travelled the country in our motorhome like we belonged in this class we won, we lost, but most importantly, we always laughed.
Tim had a great personality and didnt take life too seriously. He taught me to dream big and he literally changed mine, Shelaghs and the boys lives in so many ways, and for that we will always be grateful. No matter my crazy ideas, he was always encouraging and enthusiastic about tackling my vision whether it was for the team, my business or my family, Foley continued.
It has been hard racing this year without him at the track with us, but now to lose him, knowing he will never be at the track with us again after 25-plus years is truly heartbreaking.
The last race he attended was Charlotte in the fall, where we went to the finals, which now I look at as a gift from God on what would be our last race weekend together. The team and I will race this season in his honor and we will miss him dearly.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
