Sports Shorts: Schumi's son sets new target

Michael Schumacher's son Mick says the prospect of Lewis Hamilton equalling the Ferrari great's all-time record of 91 wins has given him something to aim for when he gets to Formula One.

Hamilton, who replaced Schumacher senior at Mercedes in 2013, can take his 91st victory in Sunday's Russian Grand Prix in Sochi -- a race he has won four times previously.

"One sentence my dad always used to say was, 'Records are there to be broken'. It's everybody's aim in this sport to do that," Formula Two championship leader Mick said on Friday.

"I think Lewis had a very, very good run. He had a very consecutive and positive run.

"It's good for the sport... the next aim would be then I guess for me, if I do make the step (up), to break that again," added the 21-year-old.

Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher took his last win with Ferrari in China in 2006. He has not appeared in public since he suffered severe head injuries in a 2013 skiing accident.

Hamilton is on course for a seventh crown and set to replace the German as the most successful F1 driver of all time. The Briton already has more pole positions, podiums and points finishes.

Hamilton said he prized the helmet he exchanged with Schumacher in Abu Dhabi in 2012 and felt 'pure admiration' for a man he first met as a youngster at the German's kart track in Kerpen.

Asked whether he might shed a tear as Schumacher did when he matched the late Brazilian triple champion Ayrton Senna's 41 wins in 2000, Hamilton said he remembered that but was not focused on the numbers.

"I cannot tell you how I am going to feel, or what it is going to mean, or if it's going to mean anything," said the Briton, an active campaigner for racial equality and justice.

"There's other and bigger issues happening in the world."

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, for whom compatriot Schumacher was a boyhood idol and who has 53 career wins, said he would have mixed emotions.

"On one hand, I will be sad because Michael is still my hero," said the four times world champion. "On the other hand, I will be very happy for Lewis.

"I think he deserves all the success he has had in the last years and he is going to have in this year... and the next years."

NBA: Celtics coach Brad Stevens hails defensive display against Miami Heat

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens hailed the defensive display showed by his team after defeating the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA on Friday (local time).

Boston Celtics fought back to clinch Game 5 against Miami Heat 121-108 and the Celtics now have a chance to draw level in Game 6 on Monday after making it 2-3 in the best-of-seven conference finals.

Jayson Tatum (31 points) and Jaylen Brown (28 points) starred for the winning team, while Heat had six players in double figures with Goran Dragic leading the pack with 23 points.

After leading through the first half, the Heat found the going tough in the third quarter after some fine defensive display from the Celtics. From there on, the Celtics maintained the lead and closed the game in their favour.

"I thought we played with great tenacity defensively in the third quarter and our offense followed suit. They are a heck of an offensive team, a heck of a well-coached team, and are hard to guard," said the 43-year-old coach Stevens.

The 43-year-old coach also praised center Daniel Theis who was the third-highest scorer for the Celtics with 15 points and 13 rebounds to his name.

"I thought he was pretty good all night. He started the game with good energy and defensively I felt he was one of our bright spots in the first half but then in the second half he was excellent. We need him to provide what he provides. He was great in the middle and he was great on the glass at both ends," added Stevens.

Heat's head coach Erik Spoelstra felt his team did not compete hard enough. "We are not getting caught up in all the nerves. Boston deserved and earned what they got. We did not compete hard enough defensively and we paid the price for that," said Spoelstra.

The 49-year-old coach acknowledged that Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals isn't going to be easy and they will look to seal their spot in the NBA Finals on Monday.

"We have great respect for Boston. We are not expecting it to be easy, we have to earn it. We will learn from this, go to work tomorrow and try to get ready for the next one," added Spoelstra.