- Olympic champion Zheng wins in Tokyo for third title of year
- Death toll in Philippine storm rises to 100
- Ohtani suffers shoulder injury in Dodgers win
- Ohtani injury scare as Dodgers down Yankees to take 2-0 World Series lead
- Ohtani suffers partial shoulder dislocation in Dodgers win: team
- Rare Sahara floods bring Morocco's dried-up south back to life
- Dodgers down Yankees 4-2 to take 2-0 World Series lead
- Far right tipped to gain ground as jaded Bulgarians vote again
- Dodgers' Ohtani injured in World Series win
- China's second-generation factory owners go digital to combat challenges
- Indonesia bets on SE Asia's first battery plant to become EV hub
- Israel's Netanyahu hoping for Trump triumph
- Powell pours in 37 to spark NBA Clippers over Jokic-led Denver
- Recession-hit Argentina gripped by 'Ponzidemia'
- Sakamoto leads Japanese women's sweep at Skate Canada
- Sainz success shows his class as Ferrari rise above the radar
- Verstappen, Norris set for another duel
- Michelle Obama admits fear over vote result, slams Trump
- Sainz takes pole for Mexico City Grand Prix ahead of Verstappen
- Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps defend Skate Canada pairs title
- Lille score twice in stoppage-time to beat Lens after 'extraordinary' week
- Barca in 'flow' state after thrashing Madrid: Flick
- Curfew extended in French Caribbean territory amid power blackout
- Ruling party set to win Georgia election amid opposition protests
- Lille score twice deep in stoppage-time to beat Lens, Brest win
- NASA astronaut released from hospital after return from ISS
- Lewandowski double as Barca shred Madrid in La Liga Clasico
- Floods hit Saint-Tropez as rains lash south of France
- Japan votes with new PM on shaky ground
- Herve Renard completes surprise return as Saudi coach
- Di Lorenzo fires Napoli five points clear, Atalanta hit Verona for six
- Van Graan has 'utmost respect' for Du Toit as Bath go top of Premiership
- Report details fossil fuel threat to 'Amazon of the seas'
- Michelle Obama to boost Harris, as Trump rages against migrants
- Catholic Church assembly acknowledges 'obstacles' for women
- 'Too early' to say Leverkusen out of title race: Alonso
- World champion Malinin grabs men's lead at Skate Canada
- Farrell 'sorry' for second Top 14 yellow in Racing win
- Ruling party set to win Georgian elections
- Piastri, Norris set Mexico practice pace as Verstappen struggles
- Lewis century gifts West Indies consolation victory in Sri Lanka
- Guardiola vows to learn from rock-bottom Southampton after tight win
- Rooney 'angry' despite stunning Plymouth fightback in Preston draw
- Opposition, ruling party both shown ahead in Georgia elections
- Venezuelan prosecutor accuses Lula of faking injury as tensions with Brazil rise
- Draper into Vienna ATP final, ensures career-high ranking
- Farrell opens Top 14 try account in Racing victory, ends game in sin-bin
- Opposition tipped to win narrow majority in Georgia election: exit poll
- Haaland fires Man City to top of Premier League, Villa held
- West Indies set 195 to win rain-hit Sri Lanka ODI
No Butler, no problem as Heat crush Bulls to set up Celtics clash
The Miami Heat shrugged off the absence of star forward Jimmy Butler to crush the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in their play-in eliminator on Friday and earn a clash with the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
It is the second straight season that Miami have earned the eighth-seed spot via the play-in tournament and they will play the Celtics for the fourth time in the last five post-seasons.
Butler suffered a sprained MCL knee ligament injury in Wednesday's defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers and faces several weeks out.
The 34-year-old has led the Heat to two NBA Finals including last year's run which included an Eastern Conference Finals win over the Celtics.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had insisted that his team had the personnel to cope with the loss of their talisman and they illustrated that in a convincing home win.
Point guard Tyler Herro was the main man with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists but he was well supported by rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr and veteran Kevin Love.
Jaquez put up 21 points with six rebounds and six assists while Love coming off the bench, made 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Heat were also without point guard Terry Rozier, who remains out with a neck injury, but they stormed out in the first quarter putting up a 19-0 run ending the opening period 34-17 up.
It was a lead they never relinquished with a 14-0 run in the second helping them reach a half-time lead of 47-37.
Demar DeRozan top scored for the Bulls with 22 points but Chicago never truly threatened to turn the game around in the second half.
Herro said he had set to emulate Butler's all-round contribution for Miami.
"There are a lot of people who try to determine the outcome of a game by how many points someone scores and I think Jimmy Butler does the opposite of that," he said.
"He impacts the game in so many different ways, sharing the ball, making the right plays for his team-mates and I tried to be as much as I could of Jimmy tonight, just trying to make the right play, give my guys shots and not force anything," he said.
"Obviously it was a great team win for us overall, I'm just excited to be back in the playoffs, healthy and ready to roll," he said.
The Celtics will start as strong favorites however against Miami with Boston having won a league-high 64 wins this season.
Later on Friday, the last spot in the Western Conference playoffs is decided when the New Orleans Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings.
M.Thompson--AMWN