SAN FRANCISCO -- After last year's NBA All-Star Game did a collective face-plant in Indianapolis, the NBA got together with its players -- including one of its standard-bearers in Stephen Curry -- to figure out what it could do to improve the league's signature midseason showcase.

The result was a reimagined format -- one Curry played a part in creating -- that turned one 48-minute game between two teams into three shorter games featuring four teams, culminating with All-Star MVP Curry and Team Shaq routing Team Chuck 41-25 in the championship.

So it was fitting that, on a weekend that wound up being as much about celebrating Curry's legendary career with the Golden State Warriors as it was anything else, it was Curry who was asked whether the format he helped create had worked -- and what, exactly, should this event look like?

"We needed to change," Curry said, referring to last year's game that featured nearly 400 combined points. "We needed some new life, new juice in the game -- something kind of unexpected. ... The way people consume basketball is different. It's not going to look like it used to. But it can still be fun for everybody. I had fun. Our team had fun. That's kind of all that matters."

Curry had plenty of fun when he buried a halfcourt shot during the final Sunday night, and then immediately beelined his way to the other end of the court to find rapper and fellow Bay Area icon Mistah F.A.B. to celebrate.

Overall, there were fewer moments of completely lethargic play on the court than previous editions and even multiple notable defensive plays, including blocks at the rim by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Victor Wembanyama.

But at the end of the night, in what has become a tradition for how NBA All-Star Weekend has gone in recent years, there was far from a consensus about how the night played out, and where things should go from here.

"I think maybe we should focus on some other things than All-Star," Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic said. "I think it's always going to be like this, so we should accept it."

THE ENTIRE DISCUSSION around the All-Star Game over the past several seasons could be distilled down into one brief interaction the league's reigning Most Valuable Player had with reporters Saturday during his media availability.

When Jokic was asked about Charles Barkley picking him first as part of TNT's "Inside The NBA" draft for the three eight-man All-Star rosters earlier this month, Jokic smiled and said, "I think I'm not built for this game, for this kind of game."

Minutes later, Jokic was asked what he actually meant.

"I think that's not a question for me, my friend," he said, another smile forming on his face as he spoke. "If you want my opinion, I cannot give you because I think it's not going to be nice."

If Jokic, a three-time MVP averaging a triple-double while shooting close to 60% from the field and 45% from 3-point range, isn't a fit for the All-Star Game, then who is?

That's precisely what the NBA set out to try to fix in shifting to this three-game mini-tournament, with each game being played to a target score of 40 points.

Sunday's games were relatively competitive -- more so than in recent seasons at least -- dating back to the last truly competitive one: the 2020 All-Star Game in Chicago, which came a few weeks after the death of Kobe Bryant and was played with an edge the Hall of Famer would have been proud of.

And while this night didn't have anything resembling that, the consensus was the event had been improved.

"I think it was a good step in the right direction to reinvigorate the game in some way," Curry said, "and then you tinker with it again next year."

"I think we're starting to see All-Star Weekend and the competitive nature in the game starting to creep back in," Kevin Durant said. "I think it was solid tonight ... I felt like guys were trying to play hard."

At the same time, not much basketball was played. Sunday night featured several extended breaks in the action. Among them, a shooting competition after the first game that involved Milwaukee Bucks All-Star guard Damian Lillard. And then there was the ceremony celebrating TNT's 40-year relationship with the NBA that is coming to an end after this season, a 20-minute pause in play that none of the players seemed to know was coming.

"I think the toughest part [was when] they stopped the game to do the presentation while we were kind of halfway through it," Celtics star Jayson Tatum said. "It was kind of tough to get back into the game after that."

The inclusion of the winners of the Rising Stars Challenge -- a tournament on Friday night featuring first- and second-year players -- as part of the All-Star Game on Sunday night drew its own round of criticism. Warriors player Draymond Green, taking part in TNT's broadcast of the event, declared that the new format was a "zero" on a 1-to-10 scale, and "it sucks."

For Team Chuck, which beat Team Kenny to open the night, there was over an hour between games.

"It was kind of tough," Donovan Mitchell said of the way the night played out. "I think at the beginning you have the energy, the adrenaline, you're going and then you sit for 30-45 minutes. That was tough, to be honest with you. It's a work in progress."

NOW THAT THIS All-Star Weekend is over, and the game will be held at the LA Clippers' new arena in Inglewood, California, next year, one question will be on everyone's mind: What will happen to the All-Star Game now?

As usual, there were many possible answers. Curry wasn't the only one who lauded the new format; Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, Curry's coach in the game, thought it worked, too.

"I liked it," Atkinson said. "It's much better. It wasn't a layup drill."

Atkinson's emerging star big man, Evan Mobley, liked it, too.

"Honestly, it was pretty fun out there," Mobley said. "I feel like it was a little more competitive. I feel like if the game was a little closer, it would probably be even more competitive, but it was a different game. But I feel like as it keeps going, I think it's going to be a good thing for the league."

Others disagreed.

Both Tyler Herro and Darius Garland -- first- and second-time All-Stars, respectively -- said they thought the game was over almost before it started and would prefer to go back to the traditional East-West format.

"But who am I to say?" Garland told ESPN with a laugh. "I'm a two-time All-Star, so I ain't got no say in that."

One thing virtually everyone agreed on, though, was that when NBC takes the baton next year as the game's new broadcast partner, there needs to be far fewer stoppages in the action.

"I feel like the fans want to see us playing more," Trae Young said, "rather than just some little shows in between breaks."

Another topic that came up repeatedly over the course of the weekend was the idea of having a "Team USA vs. The World" format. While sources said there was no straight directive from the NBA on how the teams would be drafted by Barkley and his fellow TNT analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith, ideas were discussed on how to divvy up the stars. The fact that one of the teams -- Chuck's Global Stars -- included seven international players was emblematic of that.

A move to such a format could create more issues. The All-Star Game features just 24 players, creating plenty of arguments about what stars are being slighted and left out of the competition. Going to 12 international and 12 American players would only exacerbate those issues and leave out even more deserving candidates.

But that didn't stop some -- including both Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo -- from endorsing the idea.

"I would love that," Antetokounmpo said before the game, which he didn't play in because of a calf injury. "I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that."

"My opinion is that it's more purposeful," Wembanyama said Saturday. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."

Moving forward, the NBA's hopes for increased pride and stakes in this event will rest on Wembanyama and his 7-foot-4 frame. With LeBron James sitting out the game because of foot and ankle discomfort, ending his streak of 20 consecutive All-Star starts, Wembanyama's own All-Star streak began.

And after declaring he would play the game with a purpose, he went out and did just that -- including one sequence in the first game in which he had a post-up dunk, a block and then started a fast break ending in another dunk, this time by Alperen Sengun.

"He took it serious," Curry said. "He was playing hard. He was showing his unique skill set all across the board.

"You make the game what you want it, and everybody has a choice to do that."

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hasn't swung a bat in three or four weeks and isn't sure whether he will be ready for Opening Day because of painful tendinitis in both elbows.

Speaking Monday before the team's first full-squad workout, the five-time All-Star revealed he played in pain for much of last season as he helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time since 2009.

"Tennis elbow or however they call it is tears in tendon, so it's not when did it feel good, when did it feel bad. There's always the pain level there, and you got to deal with that. So, yeah, it's just the wisest point to give time right now," Stanton said.

He wouldn't guess whether playing in the American League champions' March 27 opener against Milwaukee is realistic.

"Definitely behind, but I mean that's just a matter of being ready for a full go today as opposed to in a little bit. So we have five, six weeks here. It'll be a good ramp-up from there," he said. "We'll see how that goes."

Stanton, who turned 35 in November, said he felt the pain for most of last year.

"Definitely not just soreness. It's a manageable thing," he said.

Stanton hit .233 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs while playing 114 games last year, his season interrupted by a strained left hamstring that sidelined him between June 22 and July 29. Stanton batted .273 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in the postseason.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- While brushing off winter trade rumors and vowing to play "smarter" early in the season, Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. reported to spring training Monday as one of the few veterans left on a team that lost 121 games a season ago.

Robert, 27, understands his time with the White Sox could be short-lived but isn't pushing for a trade from the only organization he has known in his professional career.

"My agent was explaining to me how it works and where we were at in every situation [this offseason], and I think we did a good job with that," Robert said through the team interpreter. "I try not to pay attention to that. I know what my job is. My job is to come here and do my best every day, and [a trade is] something I can't control."

Considering his talent, Robert is on a team-friendly deal as he enters the last year of a six-year, $50 million contract, though the White Sox have an option on his deal for 2026 and for 2027. When healthy, he's a five-tool player who's just one season removed from hitting 38 home runs while stealing 20 bases. But the injury bug hit him yet again in 2024, when he missed three months to a hip flexor injury, the second of his career. Because of that, and several other ailments, Robert has played in over 100 games just once over his five-year career.

"That is difficult to deal with, especially when have the same injury twice," he said. "You try not to think about it, but of course it's in your mind. I think the best way that you can deal with it is just getting ready, put yourself in the best position physically and mentally and to overcome any challenges that might happen."

Robert revealed he might tweak his game early in the season especially during the colder moments in Chicago. Many of his injuries have occurred during April and May.

"I think one of the things that's probably going to adjust is for whatever reason those injuries had happened in the first month of the season, when it's cold," Robert explained. "I will probably have to adjust a little bit my game the first month because it's cold and you have to make some changes."

He was asked what those changes might look like.

"Be a smart player, run when I need to run, knowing the situation of the game, when is the best time for me to push it a little bit," Robert responded. "Just doing that, being smarter."

A healthy first half could land Robert with another team come July. There was offseason interest in him, according to league sources, but teams were offering the White Sox lesser valued prospects due to his injury-saddled season in 2024 when he hit just .224 with 14 home runs.

Meanwhile, Chicago GM Chris Getz was asking for 2023 value -- when Robert finished 12th in MVP voting. The situation sets up for a chance to recoup his value in the first four months of this season. It means that, barring a major injury in center field for a contender this spring, Robert is likely to open the season with the White Sox; he just might not finish it with them.

"It is difficult to think that way, especially when you've been with an organization throughout your whole career and knowing that might come to an end, but at the same time you have to understand that this is a business and there is not much that you can do about it," Robert said.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets right-hander Frankie Montas was diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain and will be shut down for six to eight weeks, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Monday.

Montas, who was en route to New York on Monday to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection to expedite the healing, began experiencing discomfort after his first side session of spring training last week. Given the shutdown timetable and the required buildup after not throwing for at least six weeks, he is expected to miss a significant chunk of the season.

Despite the setback, Mendoza said the club still plans to deploy a six-man rotation.

"We got options," Mendoza said. "We got depth. It's still too early."

Montas, 31, signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Mets in December after posting a 4.84 ERA in 30 starts for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers last season. Injuries had plagued him previously; a shoulder injury limited him to 19 starts in 2022 and to one outing in 2023.

Without Montas, veterans Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill will be among the pitchers competing for the final two spots in the six-man rotation to begin the season.

"There's always a lot in here," Mendoza said. "And we've been talking about it the whole offseason: We know that in order for us to get 162-plus, we need eight to 10 guys. And here we are. There's nothing new for us. Guys will step up. Guys will get opportunities. And we feel good with the options we have."

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Mike Trout arrived at spring training on Sunday and took part in a meeting with the Los Angeles Angels' coaches, during which they determined the three-time MVP would move from center field to right field in an effort to preserve his body and keep him healthy.

Trout, 33, is seemingly on board.

"I knew it was coming," Trout said before the team's first full-squad workout Monday. "I just wanna be on the field."

Trout has spent his first 14 years as a dynamic center fielder, never winning a Gold Glove but continually turning in spectacular, highlight-reel catches while establishing himself as one of the sport's most dangerous offensive players. Injuries, however, have limited him to 266 of a potential 648 games over the last four seasons.

Along the way, there was a calf strain that kept him out for the final four and a half months in 2021; back spasms that limited him to 119 games in 2022; a fractured bone in his wrist that sidelined him for almost the entirety of the last three months in 2023; and a torn meniscus in his knee that popped up in late April of 2024 and kept him out the rest of the season.

Trout was told he might still see some time in center field and will mix in some starts at designated hitter to get off his feet, but right field will be his primary position moving forward. The switch leaves the left-handed-hitting Mickey Moniak and the right-handed-hitting Jo Adell as the team's center fielders.

"It's gonna be fun," Trout said of his new position. "I'll enjoy it. Like I told them, I'm gonna go out there and just be as comfortable as I can. If I need to get early work, just to work on some things, get more comfortable, I'll do that."

Trout made some corner-outfield starts during his first three seasons in the majors -- mostly in left field -- because the Angels employed a superior defender in Peter Bourjos. But Trout has played exclusively center field over the last 11 seasons. Only 121 of his 12,410 1/3 career innings in the outfield have come in right field.

He hopes to soon seek advice from Torii Hunter, who won nine Gold Gloves in center field before also transitioning to right field in his age-33 season in 2009.

"I don't think it's gonna be a crazy transition," Trout said. "If it can save my legs a little bit, I'll do it."

Trout said he is fully recovered from the left knee issues that robbed him of another season last year, reporting that his body feels "lighter" and "faster." He vowed to continue to be aggressive on the bases when the situation calls for it but hopes right field will limit the "crazy plays" that might make him more susceptible to injuries.

"My focus was just getting me back," Trout said. "That's the biggest thing. The last few years have been tough."

Trout was undoubtedly the best player in the game throughout the 2010s, slashing .308/.422/.587 with 286 home runs and 196 stolen bases while finishing within the top two in American League MVP voting in seven of eight seasons. He compiled 70.5 FanGraphs wins above replacement during that stretch from 2012 to 2019, by far the most in the majors. His offensive numbers have remained good since -- Trout has a .958 OPS since 2020 -- but a litany of injuries have sapped his availability.

When MLB Network released its ranking of the sport's 100 best players, Trout ranked 39th.

"Yeah, I saw that," Trout said with a grin. "They're going off the last couple years. I haven't been out there, so -- that's their ranking. I know where I stand."

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox's ballyhooed signing of Alex Bregman was met with considerable resistance Monday when Rafael Devers said he wouldn't cede third base.

Devers, a three-time All-Star, has played the hot corner for Boston since 2017 and himself received a major deal just two years ago.

"Third base is my position," Devers said through an interpreter. "It's what I play. I don't know what their plans are. We had a conversation. I made it clear on what my desires were. Whatever happens from here, I don't know."

"No. Third base is my position. It's what I play. I don't know what their plans are. We had a conversation. I made it clear on what my desires were. Whatever happens from here, I don't know." Rafael Devers, when asked if he would change positions after Boston's signing of Alex Bregman.

When asked whether he would be willing to become a designated hitter, Devers said "no" without waiting for his interpreter to relay the question.

The Red Sox signed Bregman on Saturday to a three-year, $120 million contract that includes a $5 million signing bonus. A two-time All-Star, Bregman, who had played third base for the Houston Astros since 2020, has hit more than 20 home runs each of the past three seasons.

Landing Bregman, who won his first Gold Glove Award last season, was a key, the Red Sox hope, to ending a stretch in which Boston has missed the playoffs five of the past six years.

Devers signed an 11-year, $331 million contract in January 2021 and has been even more productive in recent seasons than the 30-year-old Bregman. Devers hit 28 homers and drove in 83 runs last season despite playing just 138 games because of an assortment of injuries. The year before, he had 33 homers and 100 RBIs while playing in 153 games.

That production and the financial investment by the Red Sox could give Devers some leverage in his push to stay at third.

Devers said he talked to chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora on Friday and was caught off guard by discussions about the topic.

"I'm someone that believes in people's word," Devers said Monday. "I take it to heart. And, yeah, it was very surprising that they would suggest that. I've known that this is a business. I know that each side is going to do what is best for them, what is most comfortable for them. I don't think that was the right way to do business."

Cora noted that Devers "was very vocal last year" about how the club needed to improve.

"The decisions that are going to be made here about roster construction and about what we're going to do in the future, we're going to make sure we have the best team possible out there," Cora said. "[Devers] has a lot of pride. We know that. He feels like he's a third baseman. He's going to work out as a third baseman, and then we'll make decisions accordingly.

"I think here it's not about Bregman or Devers or Cora. It's about the Red Sox. Whatever decision we make is for the benefit of the team."

Cora said Bregman could wind up at second or third base and Devers at third or DH.

If Kristian Campbell, ESPN's No. 26 prospect, breaks camp with the team, he could play second base and Bregman third while Devers shifts to designated hitter. Should the Red Sox keep Campbell at Triple-A for more seasoning, Bregman would likely slot in as Boston's full-time second baseman.

"There's competition here," Cora said. "I think flexibility and versatility are huge for us."

ESPN's Jeff Passan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Daniil Medvedev says he hopes Jannik Sinner's doping ban will "create a precedent" so other players can reach similar settlements with anti-doping authorities in the future.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner accepted an immediate three-month ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) on Saturday.

The world number one had previously been cleared of any wrongdoing after two positive drug tests last year, but Wada appealed against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Wada initially sought a ban of up to two years but reached a deal after accepting the Italian player was inadvertently contaminated by a banned substance and "did not intend to cheat".

"I hope that the next few times, the players will be able to do that," Russian world number eight Medvedev said.

"I hope that it will create a precedent where everyone will have the opportunity to defend themselves better than before.

"Otherwise, if it's not going to be possible, it's going to be bizarre."

Wada said it had entered into a settlement agreement with Sinner for a shorter ban under provision 10.8.2 in its code.

A spokesperson told BBC Sport on Saturday: "This provision was introduced to the code in 2021. Since then it has been used dozens of times for cases with exceptional circumstances such as this one.

"Given there are many thousands of cases, it is not used that often and is the exception rather than the rule but there has been plenty of precedent for this."

Fonseca won the Next Gen ATP Finals - for the best male players aged 21 and under - at the end of 2024.

He was the second-youngest champion at the tournament after world number one Jannik Sinner, who won in 2019, and who persuaded Fonseca to turn professional after a hitting session in 2023.

Fonseca then began the year by stunning ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open, with Spain's four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz tipping him as a future star.

Against Cerundolo, he came back from an early break down in the first set to take the lead and served for the match at 5-4 and 6-5 up in the second.

He was twice broken back by his experienced opponent, but Fonseca took total control in the tie-break, dropping just one point before clinching the title with an angled forehand winner.

He will rise to 68 in the world rankings before travelling to his home tournament, the Rio Open, which begins on Monday.

Britain's Emma Raducanu ended her losing run with a straight-set victory over Greece's Maria Sakkari in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

The 22-year-old went into the tournament having lost her previous four matches - the worst run of her career - but needed just one hour and 20 minutes to seal a 6-4 6-2 win against the world number 29.

The 2021 US Open champion had not won since beating American Amanda Anisimova in the Australian Open second round on 16 January.

The British number two broke serve in the first game of both sets, and on the two occasions she lost her own serve she immediately broke back in the next game.

"There were some momentum shifts throughout the match and when I got broke twice early in the sets I regrouped really well and managed to break back both times," said Raducanu.

"I was really pleased with the way I fought and competed against Maria. She is a top player and has been as high as three in the world. I'm really proud of my performance."

Raducanu will play Karolina Muchova in the second round after the Czech 14th seed beat Dutch opponent Suzan Lamens 6-2 6-2.

Britain's Liam Broady believes Jannik Sinner's three-month ban for doping has been timed to impact the world number one's career "as little as possible".

The Italian accepted an immediate three-month ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) on Saturday after reaching a settlement over his two positive drug tests last year.

The 23-year-old, who won the Australian Open in January, is suspended from 9 February until 4 May, so will be eligible to play at the French Open - the next Grand Slam of the year - which begins on 19 May.

"I do think a lot has been put into when the ban would take place, to impact Jannik's career as little as possible," Broady told BBC Sport.

"The ban ends the day before the Rome Masters, which is the biggest tournament in his home country and the perfect preparation for him to then go and play the French Open.

"I don't think he loses any [ranking] points or his number one spot either, so it's an interesting ban.

"I was speaking to some people earlier and they said it's kind of like a Premier League footballer being banned over the summer. It's a difficult one."

Sinner was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent panel after testing positive for the banned substance clostebol in March.

Wada had been seeking a ban of up to two years, having launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) following the 2024 decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) not to suspend Sinner.

However, it reached a deal after accepting the player was inadvertently contaminated by a banned substance and "did not intend to cheat".

World number 766 Broady said he was a "little bit upset at the verdict", adding that "it doesn't seem like there's much being lost from this ban".

"It does appear to be favouritism towards the better players on the tour," Broady added.

"I wouldn't say that he's done it on purpose, but if that had happened to another player, would we be treated the same way? Would we be afforded the same sort of dignity?"