DONALD TRUMP TAKES ANITHER SHOT AT CANADA WHILE CELEBRATING FLORIDA PANTHERS

U.S. president congratulated the Florida Panthers on their Stanley Cup win during a ceremony at the White House.

Members of the Florida Panthers look on as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony to honour the 2025 Stanley Cup champions on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2026. Getty Images

Donald Trump has never been shy about firing off an unprovoked shot or two whenever he can.

The U.S. president had one ready and waiting on Thursday, a little dig at his neighbours to the north during a ceremony celebrating the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

While speaking during the champions’ traditional White House visit, Trump made sure to make note of how long it has been since a Canadian franchise has hoisted the Cup.

“You denied Canada the Stanley Cup for the 32nd straight year,” Trump said during the ceremony, referencing the Cup drought of teams from the Great White North.

“We have a little competition with Canada,” Trump continued after applause. “They’re great people, though. They’re great people.

“We’re doing much better than Canada, but that’s OK, right? We want them to do well and they’re gonna do well.”

The Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup final last summer for the second consecutive season. Connor McDavid and Co. were attempting to become the first Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens won in 1993.

It should also be noted that while a Canadian-based franchise hasn’t won the Cup in more than three decades, the Panthers current roster features 13 players from Canada and that Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett hails from Holland Landing, Ont.

The Panthers made their White House visit during a rare three-day break in their busy schedule. They’ll be back in action on Friday night, playing in Raleigh against the Carolina Panthers. They then return to Washington on Saturday for a game against the Capitals.

Trump’s rivalry with Canada

This wasn’t the first time Trump has remarked on the on-ice rivalry between Canada and the U.S. The 79-year-old head of state waded into the discourse during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, an event that came at a time when Trump had been calling for Canada to become the ‘51st State’ and referred to then-prime minister Justin Trudeau as the “governor” of Canada.

Team Canada beat the Americans in the final of the tournament, but the 4 Nations was marred by the booing of the rival country’s national anthem in both Montreal and Boston.

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that there will be animosity between the Canadian and American teams should they meet at next month’s Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

What else did Trump say?

As he has in past championship celebrations at the White House, Trump gushed over the players’ physiques and good looks.

“Good-looking people, young beautiful people, I hate them,” he said, alluding to the NHLers stealing his spotlight.

“You hate standing here with all this power behind you. But I got power too. It’s called the United States military.”

Trump, who has outfitted with the White House with much golden decor, was gifted a golden hockey stick by the team.

After spotting the stick during his speech, Trump admitted to wanting it before joking that as president, he could take it if he wanted to.

- Dan Bilicki

SINGAPORE SURPASSES SOUTH KOREA AS ASIA'S LEADING SPORTS TOURISM DESTINATION

Singapore has outperformed South Korea's Seoul to become "Asia's leading sports tourism destination" at this year's World Travel Awards.

Tourists pose for photos with the Marina Bay Sands at a popular tourist spot along Marina Bay in Singapore, July 24, 2015. Photo by Reuters

The city state held the title in 2023 but lost it to South Korea last year.

Singapore is a major sports tourism destination due to landmarks like the Singapore Sports Hub and events such as the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix.

The Sports Hub, a 35-hectare complex, includes the 55,000-seat National Stadium and the 12,000-seat Singapore Indoor Stadium, which host a wide array of international sporting and entertainment events.

The city-state's commitment to high-profile events, such as the F1 night race and major golf championships, further solidifies its status as a premier destination for both athletes and fans.

The World Travel Awards, established in 1993, recognize excellence in the travel and tourism industry and are often referred to as the "Oscars of the travel industry." These annual awards are determined by votes from both travel industry professionals and the public.

- Hoang Vu

BOXING LEGEND MAKES BRUTAL CONOR BENN PREDICTS - H

Conor Benn is set to fight Chris Eubank Jr this Saturday(Image: GETTY)

With Benn and Eubank Jr set to fight this weekend, many have weighed in on the upcoming clash and one boxing legend has offered his own brutal verdict

Former boxing world champion Carl Froch has weighed in on the clash between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn and insists the latter has 'done nothing.'

Both Eubank Jr and Benn will finally settle their rivalry this weekend as the two British boxing stars are scheduled to go head-to-head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night. There is a real animosity between the two fighters - who have been thrust into a family feud after their fathers' famous fights in 1990 and 1993.

Fans have had to wait nearly two-and-a-half years to see both clash in the ring. They were due to fight back in October 2022, but the dust-up was cancelled just a few days before fight night after Benn failed a drugs test. Since their fight was rebooked, many within the combat sports community have offered their verdict on how it'll play out.

Froch and fellow legend Ricky Hatton have been left torn when predicting the winner as the pair can't seem to agree. In a video uploaded to his official YouTube channel, Froch said: “I think that all the variables you look at who has done what, whose the bigger, stronger man, who has the experience at world level. Eubank fought Groves, Saunders, beat Arthur Abraham, James DeGale, a former world champion, he’s fought at a better level and proved at a higher weight he belongs at world level.

“Conor Benn has done nothing. Nothing, Yes he knocked out Chris Algieri who is a former champ and looked good doing it but it was a way past his best Algieri. If I’m going to pick my immediate favourite in this fight, I’m going with Chris Eubank Jr.”

Benn is set to move up from his natural weight class of welterweight to middleweight. That said, Eubank Jr will have a 10lbs rehydration clause on fight night. While Froch is backing Eubank Jr, Hatton is tipping Benn to get the job done in North London this weekend.

“A lot of people are favouring Eubank. I get why they’re doing it," he said on Froch's official YouTube channel. "Let’s have it right, Conor’s not boxed anyone near Chris’ potential, and when you think who Chris has been in with, Billy Joe Saunders, at that level, at his own weight. To jump up two weights and fight Chris, it is a massive ask.

“Chris has to boil down that little bit extra, that will help Conor. Cause I know him personally, I just know the desire, the self-belief, the drive that he has. He will not be denied, like his dad. Chris has been stopped. When the fight with Conor fell through he fought Liam. He’d been boiling himself down and I think that’s why he got knocked out. Which is what he’s doing again, so I’m gonna go with my mate Conor.”

- James Evans

ARGENTINA LEGEND AND WORLD CUP WINNER MAKES HIS STANCE CLEAR IN THE MESSI-MARADONA DEBATE

Mario Kempes, the legendary striker and 1978 World Cup champion with Argentina, offered his candid opinion on the heated debate between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

© Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesDiego Maradona conducts warm up exercises with forward Lionel Messi ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Nigeria.

Mario Alberto Kempes, one of the most iconic players in Argentina’s history, was instrumental in leading his country to its first-ever World Cup title in 1978. As a respected voice in Argentine soccer, Kempes’s opinions carry significant weight, especially when it comes to assessing the legacies of those who have donned the famous Albiceleste jersey, more specifically, the debate between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

In one of his most controversial statements, Kempes delivered a stinging comparison between the two Argentine legends. His comments, made during a 2021 interview with ESPN following Argentina’s Copa America triumph in Brazil, downplayed Messi’s achievements in favor of Maradona‘s legacy.

“If Messi wants to be better than Maradona, he won’t achieve it, even if he wins four World Cups in a row,” Kempes declared bluntly. “He’ll always fall short, just one step below Diego. That’s impossible to change”.

“No matter what Messi wins, he’ll never compare to what Diego accomplished,” he continued. “The Maradona loyalists will never allow Messi to surpass him. Messi will never be better than Maradona. Let’s face it, Messi’s time (to be better than Maradona) has come and gone”.

Diego Maradona gestures to Lionel Messi during to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

However, just months after Kempes’s controversial remarks, Messi silenced critics by leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar. With many goals and standout performances throughout the tournament, Messi firmly etched his name into the history books, securing his status as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Messi vs. Maradona: The numbers behind the legends

Lionel Messi has played 191 matches for Argentina as of late 2024, scoring 112 goals to become the nation’s all-time leading scorer. His trophy cabinet is nothing short of extraordinary, boasting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, two Copa América titles (2021 and 2024), the 2022 Finalissima, the 2005 U20 World Cup, and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in Beijing.

In contrast, Diego Maradona played 91 matches for Argentina, scoring 34 goals. His silverware includes three titles with the national team: the 1979 U20 World Cup in Japan, the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, and the 1993 Artemio Franchi Cup.

While both players have achieved historic milestones for Argentina, the debate rages on, fueled by contrasting eras and the incomparable magic each brought to the pitch. For fans, the Messi-Maradona debate is more than statistics—it’s a clash of legends who transcended the sport.

- Gianni Taina

CLASSIC DENNIS RODMAN | GAME STRETCH IN 1993

 

ARSENAL LEGEND | NWANKWO KANU | STATS

Arsenal Legend 🤝 Nwankwo KANU

Full name: Nwankwo Kanu

Date of birth: 1 August 1976

Height: 1.97 m

Place of birth: Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

🏆 UEFA Champions League (Ajax 1994/95)

🏆 UEFA Europa League (Inter Milan 1997/98)

🏆 UEFA Super Cup Winner (Ajax 1995)

🏆 Intercontinental Cup (Ajax 1995)

🏆 Premier League 2x (Arsenal 2001/02, 2003/04)

🏆 English "FA Cup" 3x (Arsenal 2001/02, 2002/03; Portsmouth 2007/08)

🏆 English "Community Shield" (Arsenal 1999)

🏆 Dutch "Eredivisie" 3x (Ajax 1993/94, 94/95, 95/96)

🏆 Nigerian Premier League (Iwuanyanwu Nationale 1992/93)

🏆 Olympic Medalist (Nigeria Olympic Team 1996)

CAREER STATS

1. Iwuanyanwu Nationale (1992 - 1993)

🎬 25 Appearances

⚽️ 15 Goals

2. Ajax Amsterdam (1993 - 1996)

🎬 75 Appearances

⚽️ 27 Goals

🎯 15 Assists

3. Inter Milan (1996 - 1999)

🎬 20 Appearances

⚽️ 1 Goals

🎯 - Assists

4. Arsenal (1999 - 2004)

🎬 197 Appearances

⚽️ 44 Goals

🎯 35 Assists

5. West Bromwich Albion (2004 - 2006)

🎬 57 Appearances

⚽️ 9 Goals

🎯 3 Assists

6. Portsmouth (2006 - 2012)

🎬 166 Appearances

⚽️ 28 Goals

🎯 14 Assists

7. Nigeria (1994 - jul, 2010)

🎬 84 Appearances

⚽️ 12 Goals

🎯 4 Assists

8. Nigeria Olympic Team (jul - Aug, 1996)

🎬 6 Appearances

⚽️ 3 Goals

🎯 2 Assists

JANNIK SINNER BEATS ALEXANDER ZVEREV IN 3 SETS

Jannik Sinner of Italy gestures as he carries the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

MELBOURNE, Australia — There’s all sorts of ways beyond merely the score to measure just how dominant Jannik Sinner was while outplaying and frustrating Alexander Zverev during the 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory Sunday that earned the 23-year-old Italian a second consecutive Australian Open championship.

The zero break points Sinner faced. Or the 10 he accumulated. The 27-13 advantage in points that lasted at least nine strokes. Or the way Sinner accumulated more winners, 32 to 25, and fewer unforced errors, 27 to 45. The way Sinner won 10 of 13 points that ended with him at the net. Or the way he only let Zverev go 14 of 27 in that category, frequently zipping passing shots out of reach.

And here is one more bit of evidence: Listen to what Zverev told Sinner during the on-court trophy ceremony: “You’re the best player in the world, by far. I was hoping that I could be more of a competitor today, but you’re just too good. It’s as simple as that.”

That’s coming from the guy who is ranked No. 2 behind Sinner, who has held the No. 1 spot since last June and is not showing any signs of relinquishing it. This was the first Australian Open final between the men at No. 1 and No. 2 since 2019, when No. 1 Novak Djokovic defeated No. 2 Rafael Nadal — also in straight sets.

“It’s amazing,” Sinner said, “to achieve these things.”

That includes being the youngest man to leave Melbourne Park with the trophy two years in a row since Jim Courier in 1992-93 and the first man since Nadal at the French Open in 2005 and 2006 to follow up his first Grand Slam title by repeating as the champion at the same tournament a year later.

Since the start of 2024, Sinner has won three of the five major tournaments, including the U.S. Open in September, and his record in that span is 80-6 with a total of nine tournament titles. His current unbeaten run covers 21 matches.

The only thing that’s clouded the past 12 months for Sinner, it seems, is a doping case in which he was cleared by a ruling that was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency. He tested positive for a trace amount of an anabolic steroid twice last March but blamed it on an accidental exposure involving two members of his team who have since been fired. Sinner initially was exonerated in August; a hearing in the WADA appeal is scheduled for April.

While Sinner became the eighth man in the Open era (which began in 1968) to start his career 3-0 in Grand Slam finals, Zverev is the seventh to be 0-3, adding this loss to those at the 2020 U.S. Open and the 2024 French Open.

Those earlier setbacks both came in five sets. This contest was not that close. Not at all.

“We’re trying to do all the right work,” Zverev said. “I’m just not good enough.”

Just before Zverev began speaking into a microphone during the trophy ceremony, a voice cried out from the stands, making reference to two of the player’s ex-girlfriends who accused him of physical abuse.

During the match, there truly was only one moment that felt as if it contained a hint of tension. It came when Zverev was two points from owning the second set, leading it 5-4 and at love-30 on Sinner’s serve. But a break point — and a set point — never arrived.

Zverev dropped the next four points, making it 5-all, and Sinner emerged with the ensuing tiebreaker. No surprise there: He went 4-0 in those set-deciders over the past two weeks and has grabbed 16 of his past 18.

A year ago, Sinner went through a lot more trouble to earn his first Slam, needing to get past Novak Djokovic — who quit one set into his semifinal against Zverev on Friday because of a torn hamstring — first, before erasing a two-set deficit in the final against 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev.

This time, the 6-foot-3 (1.91-meter) Sinner applied pressure with an all-around style that does not really appear to have any holes as his sneakers squeak from a sprint to a slide that often nearly ends in the splits and he uses his long limbs to deliver deep groundstrokes.

On this night, he proved superior in just about every meaningful way, other than aces.

Returning serves from Zverev that reached 138 mph (223 kph), Sinner got the lone break of the opening set with a passing shot for a 5-4 lead. Zverev walked back behind the baseline, shaking his head while talking to his father and brother, who were seated in the front row of their courtside coaches’ box.

There was more negative body language after Sinner served out that set at love to continue his crescendo, the final note an ace at 120 mph (194 kph). Zverev trudged to his bench, shoulders sagging, and dropped his racket on an equipment bag, a gesture that conveyed annoyance more than anger. Later, it became the latter: Zverev cracked one racket on the court and used a racket to hit another on the sideline.

Understandable, given what Sinner was doing on the other side of the net.

- Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press

CAVALIERS TOP HORNETS, TIE 2ND-BEST START TO NBA SEASON (15-0)

CLEVELAND -- Darius Garland scored 25 points, Ty Jerome matched his career high with 24 in place of Donovan Mitchell, and the Cleveland Cavaliers stayed unbeaten with a 128-114 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.

The Cavs are the fourth team to start 15-0 and are tied for the second-best start to a season in NBA history, trailing only the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (24-0). The Warriors set the league record by winning their first 24 games on the way to a 73-9 season.

The 2015-16 Warriors, 1993-94 Houston Rockets (started 15-0) and 1948-49 Washington Capitols (15-0) all made the NBA Finals.

Evan Mobley had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 15 rebounds for Cleveland, marking the second time the Cavaliers have had four 20-point scorers in consecutive games in franchise history, and the first time since 1972.

The Cavs also extended the longest winning streak in team history and have given Cleveland sports fans something to be excited about in the midst of a football season that crashed long ago for the Browns.

"It's incredible," Allen said of how the city is embracing the Cavs. "Everyone is showing tons of energy, all over the city. It's incredible how Cleveland has adopted us. They come to every game, yelling for everything. The city of Cleveland has our backs."

Although they wanted to keep their winning streak alive, the Cavs felt getting Mitchell rest was more important. It's a long season with bigger games ahead, and first-year coach Kenny Atkinson, who has yet to lose with Cleveland, said sticking to the plan with Mitchell was a priority.

The Cavaliers barely missed a beat without Mitchell, who was coming off a season-high 37-point performance. One of the many pluses during the winning streak is that it's allowing Atkinson to further develop his bench.

As has been the case in almost every game, the Cavs got positive minutes and moments from everyone Atkinson put on the floor. They also overcame some adversity as both Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade were forced out in the second half with ankle injuries. Wade, who has made seven starts, left Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in a walking boot.

The Cavaliers will put their perfect start on the line Tuesday against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

"Boston Garden," Atkinson said. "What's better than that?"

As NBA games in November go, not much.

This is the fourth time in NBA history a team on a win streak of 15-plus games faces off against the defending NBA champion, and the first time since the Chicago Bulls faced the Rockets in 1996. One of these instances came in 1972, when the Los Angeles Lakers saw their NBA-record 33-game win streak come to an end against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"It's great for the NBA, right?" said Atkinson, the only coach to win his 15 first games with a new team. "Everybody is going to be watching, and I know our guys are anxious. I know they remember last year. We're going well. They're going well. It's great for the league. Great for our franchise. We're excited."

Mitchell didn't play in the final two games of last year's Eastern Conference semifinals, when the Cavs were eliminated in five games by the Celtics, who went on to win another championship.

Allen missed that entire Boston series with a broken rib and said he and his teammates are looking forward to seeing how they measure up with the Celtics now.

have some players. And we didn't have me, so I want to try and beat them and test where we are with them."

Atkinson feels the same way. If the Cavs have title aspirations, this a chance for them to see if they're real.

"It's going to be a great test for us," he said. "They obviously play a different style, five-out with five shooters, so it's going to be a real good test for us. We're at that point right now -- 15-0 and let's test ourselves against the best and see where we stand and see where we're going to make adjustments or not make adjustments.

"It actually comes at the perfect time."

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

OLYMPIC DEBUTANTS UZBEKISTAN SHOW PLENTY OF PROMISE DESPITE DEFEAT TO SPAIN

Uzbekistan gave an excellent account of themselves in their Olympic men's football debut but ultimately fell to a 2-1 loss at the hands of Spain. Carl Recine/Getty Images

 In their first appearance in the men's football tournament at the Olympics, Uzbekistan could easily have been overawed by the occasion -- especially coming up against powerhouses Spain.

But after their first 90 minutes of football at the Games, the Uzbeks have shown they are not simply in France to enjoy the experience and make up the numbers.

Despite a 2-1 loss in their Group C opener against the 1992 gold medallists, Uzbekistan will depart Paris' Parc des Princes with plenty of pride and, perhaps more importantly, enhanced belief that progress to the quarterfinals is not beyond them.

In what is, on paper at least, the toughest of assignments in the group, the White Wolves refused to be overly respectful of their opponents from the opening whistle on Wednesday.

They snapped at ankles and put their bodies fully into challenges, and even showed they could threaten early on in the contest.

Spain would eventually find their rhythm and took the lead in the 28th minute through a close-range finish by Marc Pubill at the far post yet -- when Uzbekistan were awarded a penalty upon VAR review that was converted by captain Eldor Shomurodov to send both teams into the halftime break level on the scoreboard -- few would have argued that it wasn't a fair depiction of the match thus far.

The Spanish would eventually reclaim the lead two minutes after the hour mark when Sergio Gómez's clinical finish saw him make amends for failing to convert a penalty moments earlier, after his spot-kick straight down the middle was cleverly saved by Abduvohid Nematov in midair with his right leg.

Uzbekistan would try their hardest to force a draw and caused Spain a few nervous moments towards the end, although they were just unable to find a second equaliser as the class and the experience of the opposition proved crucial.

Uzbek football has waited for two decades to feature at the Olympics after becoming an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member in 1993, two years after gaining independence.

At the first time of asking, they have shown they belong on the stage.

Talented young attackers Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Jasurbek Jaloliddinov both showed glimpses of quality despite coming up against far more-illustrious opponents, while the likes of Mukhammadkodir Khamraliev and Abdurauf Buriev looked up for the fight.

It also did not hurt that the White Wolves had established senior players in their ranks, with Roma striker Shomurodov leading valiantly from the front even if he did not receive plenty of service, while Turkey-based centre-back Husniddin Aliqulov was a handy last line of defence.

Within Asian football, Uzbekistan have long been viewed as a sleeping giant. They are not yet at the level of Japan, South Korea, Iran or Saudi Arabia -- but there is every reason for them to believe they can get there.

They have been no strangers to producing talent good enough to make the grade in Europe for some time now and there is real familiarity and cohesion in this Olympic team that has largely been playing together for several years now and well led by coach Timur Kapadze, whose reputation is ever growing.

After showing they can match it with the best, the White Wolves now have to prove they can beat the rest.

Egypt are up next on Saturday, followed by their Group C finale against Dominican Republic three days later. Both would already have been identified as winnable matches ahead of the tournament.

Yet, after an impressive display in defeat to Spain, Uzbekistan will now certainly be looking to do just that -- especially given how serious they look in making their mark on their Olympic football debut.

- Gabriel Tan 

CELTICS BEAT MAVS IN GAME 3

 DALLAS -- For a few minutes in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, it looked like the Boston Celtics' bad habits would come back to haunt them.

The Dallas Mavericks, who appeared finished when they trailed by 21 points with 10 minutes to go, roared back with a 22-2 run, putting Boston's lead in peril and threatening to make this a series.

But just when things looked their bleakest, the Celtics flipped the script, holding Dallas to one field goal over a five-minute span, and claimed a 106-99 victory for a 3-0 series lead.

Boston is one win away from a record-setting 18th NBA championship -- one the Celtics can capture Friday in Game 4 here at American Airlines Center.

"Experience is the best teacher," said Jaylen Brown, who finished with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in 41 minutes. "All year long we've been hearing about the Celtics are the past, for the last six to eight months, that's all we've been hearing is all the different shortcomings we've had in the past.

"This is a new team, you know what I mean. We've learned from those experiences. And in these moments, you can see that we learned from it. We stepped up to the plate, and we found a way to win."

It looked like Boston had found a way much earlier, having responded to a 25-12 spurt by the Mavericks over the opening seven minutes -- a run that saw Kyrie Irving, who finished with 35 points after combining for 28 in the two games in Boston, get going for the first time in the series. The Celtics' 79-45 burst over roughly the next 29 minutes allowed them to take a commanding 91-70 lead with 11:07 remaining.

At that point, Dallas appeared to be staring at another loss despite Boston's Kristaps Porzingis sitting out Game 3 and his status in doubt moving forward because of an unusual tendon injury in his left leg sustained in Game 2.

But just as quickly as Boston had established control, Dallas rediscovered itself. As Boston went 1-for-11 and committed three turnovers over the next 7:57, Dallas pulled to within 93-92 on an Irving layup with 3:37 remaining despite playing without Luka Doncic, who fouled out a few seconds earlier. However, things started to swing back in Boston's direction, as a Brown putback of a Jayson Tatum miss was followed by a Derrick White 3-pointer and a Tatum dunk, pushing the Celtics' lead back to six points.

"Yeah, I think just we had some turnovers, which allowed them to get out in transition," White said. "And just a couple of things that we've been doing really well, we kind of just let go of the rope for however many minutes that was. It seemed like, what, two minutes, they cut it to two, three or something.

"It happened quick, and we just settled back down. Understand it's a game of runs, and we just trust what we do."

In the past, it might have been a moment when the Celtics let go of the rope and allowed Dallas to close the game out. But Boston persevered and improved to 7-0 on the road in these playoffs. It is 21-7 on the road over the past three postseasons -- the best winning percentage over a three-year span in NBA history, breaking a tie with the 1991 to 1993 Chicago Bulls.

And the Celtics did it by getting contributions from across the board. Backup center Xavier Tillman stepped into the rotation and played 11 impactful minutes, hitting a corner 3, grabbing 4 rebounds and recording 2 blocks, including one against Doncic. Sam Hauser went 3-for-4 from 3-point range and was a game-high plus-16 off the bench after going 0-for-5 from 3 in Game 2.

And Tatum, after going 6-for-22 in Game 2, finished with 31 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists as he and Brown combined for 61 points. The Celtics are within one victory of moving ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for all-time league titles.

But after the Celtics were down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference finals last year and forced a Game 7 against the Miami Heat, Boston knows the job isn't done.

"Honestly, not too difficult from the standpoint of last year [when] we were down 0-3 in the conference finals, and we really felt like we were going to come back," Tatum said. "We almost did. You know, we were [my] sprained ankle away from having a real shot.

"So, you know, we are not relaxing or anything like that. You know, not even focusing on winning or Friday or whatever. However long it takes, that's our motto. However long it takes, that's what it's going to take, and nobody is not trying to relax at all."

- Tim Bontemps, ESPN

CAF HISTORY | CAF CUP FINALS | AFRICA CUP | SIMBA SPORTS CLUB VS.STELLA ABDIJAN | 1993