After winning his third-round match at the World Darts Championship, Luke Littler made a joke about Stephen Bunting but apologized right away.

Littler is still in the running to be the first player in ten years to defend his World Championship title. He made it to the fourth round on Saturday night by beating Mensur Suljovic 4-0.

He had his best-ever average at Alexandra Palace and hit doubles 71% of the time—stats that probably worried the other players.

Just before Littler played at Ally Pally, another top player was knocked out of the tournament.

Stephen Bunting, a fan favorite and fourth seed, lost to James Hurrell in a surprising early defeat.

When asked about the Littler effect, the teenager couldn't resist a little jab.

The Luke Littler effect is still going strong. I don’t think the Bunting effect is going too well this tournament, Littler said at the press conference after his match. So yeah, maybe I’ve got the biggest fan base. I had to say that, sorry!

Littler knew he was ready to play well in his third-round match after practicing backstage at Ally Pally.

Littler told talkSPORT: “I felt very good, even while practicing. Before my match, I did a few interviews, but my first 9 or 12 darts were all perfect. 140, 140, 180, 180. Then I told my family, "I'm ready," and then I lost the bull. But all night, I just couldn't miss. Usually when that happens, you don't play as well on stage. But I just told myself to try to get into a rhythm with Mensur, and that's what I did. I didn't throw as fast tonight.”

Everyone's talking about whether Littler can be the first person since Gary Anderson in 2016 to win back-to-back titles at the Worlds.

“I didn't play my best in the first two rounds, but I got through them and came back after Christmas. After Christmas, we pack enough clothes for a week, because if we go to the final, we go to the final. We also book a house for a week. I hit a lot more 180s tonight—not many in Rounds One and Two. But the performance is there, and I know I can do it again.”

No one has hit a nine-darter at the World Championships this year, and Littler really wants to do it.

“I must have gone back-to-back like seven or eight times or something like that and not to go on stage and do it. It's a bit annoying because you know you can go back-to-back and have a shot at it. But we'll see what happens next round.”

Littler will play the winner of Damon Heta and Rob Cross in the last-16.

After the Warriors beat the Mavericks 126-116 on Christmas, Steph Curry had some good things to say about Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg. It was Curry's fifth Christmas Day win and his 12th game playing on the holiday.

Curry said Flagg is a real player and a competitor, and it's easy to forget how young he is. He also said Flagg has a bright future. “I’m glad he got this experience his first year and understands what the bright lights feel like. The league is in good hands.”

Flagg topped all scorers with 27 points in his Christmas Day debut, hitting 13 of 21 shots. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists. He really stepped up on a big stage and is already getting props from other NBA superstars.

Curry didn't hold anything back, calling Flagg a true hooper”. Flagg started slow, with just two points in the first quarter, but then took off. He joined LeBron James as the only teens ever to score at least 25 points on Christmas.

The 19-year-old also made some history, becoming the first rookie since Pete Maravich in 1970 to put up at least 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on Christmas Day. So far this season, Flagg is averaging 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 31 games. He's the team's second-leading scorer and third-best rebounder, proving why he was the top pick in the 2025 draft.

In a game against the Denver Nuggets a couple of days before Christmas, Flagg almost had a triple-double with 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. He also nailed a season-high four three-pointers, which helped Dallas win 131-130.

Flagg plays with a lot of poise, is comfortable handling the ball, and makes good decisions on offense. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd talked about Flagg after the Warriors game.

Kidd stated Flagg was doing everything off the pick and roll; he was playing at a very high level for the team, and they needed that.

Curry knew about Flagg way back when he was in high school, where he was the number one recruit in the class of 2024. He was named Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Flagg attended Curry’s elite camp in 2023 and impressed many. The camp had other top high schoolers, and even Curry joined in on some scrimmages.

Flagg has been in the spotlight for a while now, and he keeps showing why he's so good.