AC Milan trails city rival Inter by 8 points in Serie A title race after losing to Lazio

ROME (AP) — AC Milan lost ground in the race for the Serie A title after a 1-0 defeat at Lazio on Sunday left it eight points behind leader Inter Milan.

Gustav Isaksen's first-half goal proved enough for Lazio as Massimiliano Allegri's Milan wasted a chance to cut the gap on its city rival, which was held at home by Atalanta on Saturday.

There are nine rounds of matches remaining.

Isaksen broke the deadlock in the 26th minute after connecting with a long ball, getting the better of defender Pervis Estupiñán before sending the ball past Milan 'keeper Mike Maignan with a composed finish.

Milan defender Zachary Athekame's goal from a corner was ruled out in the 75th minute for a handball.

Como came from behind to move into fourth place and a Champions League spot with a 2-1 win over 10-man Roma in the Italian league on Sunday.

Despite missing key players, Roma took an early lead from Donyell Malen's penalty after Stephan El Shaarawy was brought down. Both teams created chances after the interval and Como coach Cesc Fabregas' changes paid off as Tasos Douvikas beat the offside trap to equalize.

A turning point came soon after when Roma's Wesley was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Assane Diao. Como made the most of its numerical advantage and Diego Carlos sealed the win with his first Serie A goal in the 79th minute.

Roma was in sixth place, three points behind Como.

Elsewhere, substitute Vitinha and Leo Ostigard scored in Genoa's 2-0 win at last-place Verona as Daniele De Rossi’s side moved even further away from the relegation zone.

Genoa is 13th with 33 points after 29 rounds, nine points above 18th-place Cremonese.

Inter Milan drew 1-1 with Atalanta at home on Saturday.

Vitinha scored right after coming on as a replacement for Caleb Ekuban with a powerful shot from long range around the hour mark. Ostigard made it 2-0 in the 86th minute with a header from a free kick.

Down to 10 men from the 37th minute after Rafiu Durosinmi kicked defender Yerry Mina, 19th-place Pisa claimed its second league win of the season.

Antonio Caracciolo scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Cagliari, which also finished with 10 men following Adam Obert's late dismissal for a second yellow card.

Bologna beat Sassuolo 1-0, with Thijs Dallinga scoring early in the game.

But Bologna lost several players through injuries ahead of the second leg of the Europa League round-of-16 tie at Roma on Thursday, with the first leg a 1-1 draw. Goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was injured after an aerial challenge but was forced to play on because coach Vincenzo Italiano had already used all his substitutions.

Nikola Moro and Lorenzo De Silvestri also got injured Sunday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Lazio's goalkeeper Edoardo Motta makes a save against AC Milan's Rafael Leao, centre, during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, in Rome, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku makes an attempt to score during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, in Rome, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Lazio's Gustav Isaksen scores his side's opening goal past AC Milan's goalkeeper Mike Maignan during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, in Rome, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Como's Diego Carlos celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Roma in Como, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026 (Photo by Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Diego Carlos celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Roma in Como, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026 (Photo by Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Genoa's Vitinha, front center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and GFC Genoa 1893 in Verona, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

DENVER (AP) — A big early deficit in Denver didn't bother the Minnesota Timberwolves, who two years ago staged the biggest Game 7 comeback in NBA history, clawing out of a 20-point hole to beat the Nuggets and advance to the Western Conference finals.

This time, they overcame a 19-point deficit, rallying past the Nuggets 119-114 on Monday night behind 30 points from Anthony Edwards and 24 from Julius Randle to tie their first-round playoff series at one game each.

“Just coming together, staying poised within those moments," Edwards said.

Jamal Murray scored 30 points for Denver, which had won 13 straight games since losing on March 18. The Nuggets jumped out to a 44-25 lead early in the second quarter only to see a potential laugher quickly turn into a head-scratcher.

After outscoring the Wolves 39-25 in the first, the Nuggets watched Minnesota flip that exact score in the second period.

“So, basically same quarters, first and second, just opposite teams,” said Nikola Jokic, who had 24 points, 15 boards and eight assists for the Nuggets.

After a slow start, Edwards looked much better than he did during his 22-point effort in Game 1, when his rust from a bum knee was apparent. This time, he drove to the basket more instead of settling for jumpers, fueling the comeback.

“He was awesome. It was unbelievable,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “Also in that (first) period when we were down, he was great on the bench. Great leadership, positive. He recognized he needed to get into attack mode and get downhill a little bit more. He did that."

Denver blew a chance to take control against its Northwest Division rival. The Nuggets are 8-0 in their history when winning the first two games of a playoff series, and the Wolves are 0-8 when dropping Games 1 and 2.

Edwards turned the ball over with 31 seconds left and Christian Braun got fouled at the other end after Jokic passed up a floater to tie it. Braun missed one of two free throws, leaving Denver trailing 115-114 with 19 seconds remaining.

Randle then sank two free throws and Donte DiVincenzo added a breakaway dunk to cap the comeback.

“I trust C.B. to make free throws,” Denver coach David Adelman said. “It rimmed out. That happens in the NBA. You're going to have moments that you don't want to remember. That's a tough moment for C.B. after playing such a good game."

Murray sank a 51-foot 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to tie it at 64. Jokic came on strong after a quiet start, scoring 16 points in the third quarter when Denver took a 93-90 lead. But the Nuggets' All-Star duo shot a combined 2 for 12 in the fourth quarter as the Wolves evened a best-of-seven series that shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Thursday night.

“I feel like we had the game in hand,” Murray said, “and then we just didn't make our shots.”

Jaden McDaniels, who added 14 points for the Wolves, said the key to Minnesota's bounce-back was going "after Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team, just go at them. Yeah, they’re all bad defenders.”

Before tipoff, Finch complained for a third straight day about the free-throw disparity in Game 1, when the Nuggets outscored Minnesota 30-14 from the stripe. He cracked that maybe his players need to “start flopping, too.”

Each team went to the line 30 times Monday night.

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

Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reacts during the first half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Monday, April 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch reacts during the first half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Denver Nuggets, Monday, April 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray prepares to shoot a 3-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Monday, April 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks to pass the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, right, during the first half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Monday, April 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) during the second half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Monday, April 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)