PSG fails to win the French league after drawing with struggling Le Havre

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain failed to clinch the French league title at home when it drew with struggling Le Havre 3-3 from two goals down on Saturday.

It took a stoppage-time goal from Goncalo Ramos to force the draw. A win, as expected, would have given PSG a third straight French crown and record-extending 12th overall.

PSG extended its lead to 12 points over second-placed Monaco, which has four games left. PSG can still become champion this weekend if Monaco drops points against Lyon on Sunday.

“Even though mathematically it's not done yet, I think we can say tonight that we are the champions,” PSG coach Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus through a translator.

Perhaps in mind of its Champions League semifinal against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, PSG coach Luis Enrique rotated his team, starting Kylian Mbappé on the bench.

Le Havre scored against the run of play in the 19th minute when winger Emmanuel Sabbi fed Christopher Operi, who buried an angled shot into the far corner.

The host showed more urgency and PSG winger Bradley Barcola equalized by converting a low cross from Warren Zaire-Emery in the 29th.

Instead of being discouraged, Le Havre raised its level. Andre Ayew made it 2-1 with a deflected shot in the 38th.

PSG manager Luis Enrique tried to shake things up by sending on Mbappé, Lee Kang-in and Senny Mayulu for Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Marco Asensio at halftime.

Le Havre was unfazed and added a third goal from a penalty by Abdoulaye Toure in the 61st after Danilo fouled Loic Nego.

Luis Enrique used up all his substitutions in the 62nd by replacing Marquinhos and Randal Kolo Muani with Milan Skriniar and Goncalo Ramos.

Ramos brought more desire on the field, feeding Achraf Hakimi, who pulled one back by beating goalkeeper Arthur Desmas in the 78th.

Ramos then salvaged a point in the fifth minute of stoppage time by heading a cross from Lee into the bottom corner.

“You must stay focused for the full 90 minutes against the big teams. We didn’t manage to do that, unfortunately,” Operi told Canal Plus. “But we can be proud of our performance and of that point earned because that point will count for us at the end of the season.”

The draw moved Le Havre out of the relegation playoff spot.

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Le Havre's Andre Ayew, left, and PSG's Ethan Mbappe battle for the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Le Havre's Abdoulaye Toure scores his side's third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Kylian Mbappe, center, reacts with his teammates after the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Le Havre at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

DENVER (AP) — A sick Jamal Murray may have been questionable for Game 6, but in his mind there was nothing ambiguous about his playing status.

“Absolutely not,” Murray said when asked if there was any chance he'd have sat out the game.

Murray scored 25 points and powered the Denver Nuggets past the Thunder 119-107 Thursday night, sending the series back to Oklahoma City for a decisive Game 7.

After being sick for 24 hours, Murray ignited the Nuggets with a four-point play to start things off and sank a step-back 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter that pushed Denver's lead into double digits.

Nikola Jokic led Denver with 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, and Christian Braun scored a career playoff-best 23 points. But it was second-year reserve guard Julian Strawther who ignited the Nuggets' runaway, scoring a career playoff-high 15 points, all in the second half.

“Julian played huge for us, made real big shots," Aaron Gordon said. “I don't think that's something that they game-planned for.”

Strawther had a pair of 3s and a layup during the decisive 10-0 third-quarter spurt and he kept making big plays at both ends in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets finally had a laugher in this exhaustive, physical series.

Case in point: Strawther lost a crown in the fourth quarter. A ballboy retrieved the artificial tooth from the circle when the action went to the other end.

Gordon grabbed at his left hamstring late in the game and hobbled through the final few minutes, but he insisted he'd be fine for Game 7, which is Sunday, with the Minnesota Timberwolves awaiting the winner after dispatching Golden State in five games.

If he's good to go, that would be a huge relief for Denver interim coach David Adelman, who called Gordon “the reason why we've won games and won series and have a banner hanging up.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, but he didn’t get enough help from his teammates to clinch Oklahoma City's first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 2016. All-Star Jalen Williams scored six points on 3-of-16 shooting.

The Nuggets, who won the title two years ago, finally get two days off after a grueling past few weeks. They have played every other day since April 29.

“The guys in there looked like they were happier to have tomorrow off than they were about going to a Game 7,” Adelman said.

The Thunder have only lost back-to-back games twice this season, once in November and once in early April. However, this will be the current iteration's first win-or-go-home game.

“First of all, credit Denver — they threw a punch tonight as has happened in the series, both teams are exchanging blows," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They got theirs in tonight, and both teams have done a great job of standing back up, including us, and we need to do that on Sunday.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

From left, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, center Isaiah Hartenstein, guard Cason Wallace, forward Jaylin Williams and guard Aaron Wiggins look on from the bench as time runs out in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Denver Nuggets Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther reacts after hitting a 3-point basket late in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic collects a loose ball in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, front, drives the lane as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, front left, drives to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder guards Alex Caruso, back left, and Luguentz Dort defend in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)