NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Dallas 98, Indiana 94
Boston 102, Charlotte 91
Atlanta 113, Washington 99
Oklahoma City 124, Toronto 107
Chicago 92, N.Y. Knicks 87
Minnesota 128, Denver 125; OT
New Orleans 128, Brooklyn 113
Sacramento 109, Cleveland 95
Memphis 109, L.A. Lakers 99
Golden State 126, Utah 101
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
N.Y. Islanders 3, Buffalo 2; OT
Carolina 3, Montreal 1
Boston 5, Ottawa 1
Pittsburgh 5, Columbus 4; SO
New Jersey 3, Detroit 1
Nashville 2, St. Louis 1
N.Y. Rangers 1, Washington 0; SO
Minnesota 4, Dallas 2
Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 3
Arizona 3, Colorado 1
Vegas 4, Anaheim 1
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(1) Villanova 103, DePaul 85
(6) Xavier 91, Marquette 87
NFL=
Colts coach Chuck Pagano had an interesting choice of words for his
team as it prepares for the season finale. “The last rodeo is what
I told them,” Pagano said ahead of Sunday’s game against the
Texans. “A picture of a guy on a bucking bronco with the spurs on
it. It’s our last ride together.” While no decision has been
publicly made about his future with the team, Pagano’s fate with
the 3-12 Colts could be sealed after that last ride.
Hue Jackson doesn’t believe Sunday will be his last rodeo with the
Browns despite a 1-30 record over the past two seasons. In his
strongest statement to date, Jackson said that he ”unequivocally
believes without question” that owner Jimmy Haslam will keep his
word and not fire him following the season finale in Pittsburgh.
Haslam announced on Dec. 8 that Jackson will return next season.
One day after being called a cancer on the team, Eli Apple was
suspended by the Giants for the regular-season finale Sunday
against the Redskins. Interim general manager Kevin Abrams said the
second-year cornerback was suspended for “a pattern of behavior
that is conduct detrimental to the team.” According to multiple
reports, Apple was angry that he was assigned to practice with the
scout team. This came after teammate Landon Collins apologized for
saying: “There’s only just one corner that … needs to grow, and
we all know who that is. That would be the only person I would
change out of our secondary group. Besides, the other two guys –
Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins -, I love those two
guys. They play hard. They love what they do. But that first pick
… he’s a cancer.”
With the AFC West champion Chiefs locked in as the conference’s
fourth seed, Andy Reid is going with rookie Patrick Mahomes as his
starting quarterback in their regular-season finale against the
Broncos. This will be the first action of the season for Mahomes,
who was drafted with the 10th overall selection after Kansas City
traded up from the 27th pick.
With the NFC West title sewn up, the Rams will rest quarterback
Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron
Donald in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the 49ers. Los
Angeles has clinched a first-round home playoff game, but can’t
earn a first-round bye.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said he expects quarterback Sam Bradford
to return to practice next week. Bradford injured his left knee in
the season opener in New Orleans but didn’t come out of the game
and hasn’t played since Week 5 at Chicago, where he was replaced by
Case Keenum in the first half after aggravating the injury. He was
placed on injured reserve on Nov. 8 and is eligible to return to
the roster next week after sitting out the required eight weeks.
A police investigation of a single-car accident found marijuana and
hollow point bullets in an abandoned vehicle registered to
Buccaneers receiver DeSean Jackson. Following a crash in Tampa on
Sunday night, police found a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado that left the
roadway and struck a tree. No arrests have been made, and the
report said ”it is unclear who was driving the vehicle at the time
of the crash.” The Buccaneers played earlier in the day, though
Jackson was inactive but responded after being contacted by police.
NBA=
Rajon Rondo dished out a career-high 25 assists as the Pelicans
rolled to a 128-113 victory over the visiting Nets. Rondo’s assist
total was also a franchise record, breaking Chris Paul’s mark.
Anthony Davis scored a team-high 33 points and DeMarcus Cousins had
27 with 14 rebounds for New Orleans, which won its third in a row.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL=
Baker Mayfield skipped Oklahoma’s team trip to Disneyland because
he was under the weather. Mayfield was at practice, however, and
coach Lincoln Riley said a decision was made for the Heisman
Trophy-winning quarterback not to visit the amusement park. Riley
did not elaborate whether or not Mayfield was limited at practice.
The No. 2 Sooners face No. 3 Georgia in the CFP semifinal on Monday.
Alabama will be without linebacker Dylan Moses in its CFP semifinal
game against Clemson because of a foot injury. Moses, who has been
selected to the SEC All-Freshman team, was injured at practice last
week and likely will be replaced by sophomore Mack Wilson in the
Sugar Bowl matchup versus the defending national champion Tigers on
New Year’s Day.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL=
Mikal Bridges scored 20 points and No. 1 Villanova opened Big East
play with an easy 103-85 win over DePaul. The Wildcats made 15 of
31 from 3-point range and reached 100 points for the third time
this season to improve to 13-0 in their 15th consecutive win
against the Blue Demons.
MLB=
Astros star Jose Altuve received one more accolade before the end
of 2017, being named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.
Altuve led Houston to its first World Series title in November and
earned the franchise’s first MVP trophy in more than two decades a
couple of weeks later. The five-time All-Star led the majors with a
career-high .346 batting average and became the first player in
history to lead his league in hits in four straight seasons. The
5-foot-6 sensation received 715 points in voting to beat out the
Patriots’ Tom Brady, who had 646, and third-place finisher,
Cavaliers star LeBron James, with 626.