Arizona Diamondbacks into World Series; Nuggets open with win against Lakers

The Arizona Diamondbacks will face the Texas Rangers in the World Series after completing a comeback series win against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Corbin Carroll had three hits as the unheralded young Diamondbacks side, who scraped into the play-offs by clinching the final wildcard spot, won 4-2 in game seven of the National League Championship Series (NLCS).

The Phillies had won the first two games of the NLCS and were 3-2 ahead going into the final two games at home, but the Diamondbacks took early leads in both matches and hung on.

It will be only the second World Series for the Diamondbacks, who won in their only previous appearance in 2001.

The Rangers, who are searching for their first World Series triumph, reached their first Fall Classic since 2011 with a seven-game American League Championship Series win over the Houston Astros.

Both teams finished last in their divisions with more than 100 losses just two seasons ago.

The World Series gets underway on Friday with game one in Arlington, Texas.

Meanwhile in basketball, the NBA champion Denver Nuggets picked up right where they left off, opening their 2023-24 season with a dominant 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Just as he did in Denver's Finals series victory against the Miami Heat, Nikola Jokic was at his brilliant best for the home team, orchestrating the Nuggets’ performance behind a 29-point triple-double.

Denver exploded out of the gates to open a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter, before LeBron James helped the Lakers claw their way back to within 10 by half-time.

However, the Lakers struggled to compete with James off the floor, Denver ultimately coasting to a 12-point win.

Jokic added 13 rebounds and 11 assists to his game-high points total,