Scoreboard roundup from 12/28/17
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Orlando 102, Detroit 89
Milwaukee 102, Minnesota 96
Boston 99, Houston 98
San Antonio 119, N.Y. Knicks 107
Portland 114, Philadelphia 110
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Florida 3, Philadelphia 2
SO Washington 4, Boston 3
Tampa Bay 3, Montreal 1
Toronto 7, Arizona 4
OT Vegas 3, L.A. Kings 2
Vancouver 5, Chicago 2
SO San Jose 3, Calgary 2
TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(20) Gonzaga 81, Pacific 48
(23) Seton Hall 90, (25) Creighton 84
Headlines
PRO FOOTBALL=
The Giants have hired Dave Gettleman as their new general manager.
The 66-year-old Gettleman held the same position with the Panthers
from 2013-16, a stint that included a Super Bowl appearance among
three NFC South titles. Carolina was 40-23-1 on his watch before he
was fired in July. New York, which is suffering through a 2-13
season, is familiar with Gettleman from when he worked for the team
from 1998-2012 before heading to Carolina.
Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is not interested in taking a pay
cut to remain in Big D. Scheduled to make $12.5 million next
season, Bryant was asked if he would be willing to take less money
to remain in Dallas. “I haven’t heard no talk about that but if it
comes, I don’t know, probably not,” Bryant said Wednesday. “Hell
no, man. I believe in me.” In money matters, Bryant is set to count
$16.5 million against the salary cap, per Spotrac.com. The Cowboys
can free $8.5 million if they release him or $12 million if he is
designated as a post-June 1 cut, with him counting $4 million
against the cap in 2019.
The Canadian Football League officially has cleared the path for
former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel to play in the league next
season. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie is set to approve a
contract for Manziel if the former Browns quarterback can reach a
deal with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. While the CFL has opened the
door, it is not immediately known if the Tiger-Cats are willing to
let the 25-year-old Manziel walk into the room.
NBA=
Stephen Curry has already been ruled out of the Warriors’ game
against the Hornets, but he could return Saturday versus the
Grizzlies, according to coach Steve Kerr. Recovering from a
sprained right ankle, Curry will sit out for the 11th straight game
when Golden State faces Charlotte, however, he participated in
parts of practice and played in a 3-on-3 scrimmage afterward,
prompting optimism he might be able to face Memphis.
Al Horford made a hook shot with 3.7 seconds left and the Celtics
overcame a 26-point deficit to hand the Rockets a fourth
consecutive loss, 99-98. James Harden had 34 points and 10 assists
but was whistled for a pair of late offensive fouls for Houston,
which is winless since a 14-game run that stretched Nov. 16-Dec.
18. The Rockets played a third straight game without star Chris
Paul, who is dealing with a left adductor strain but could return
this weekend.
Blake Griffin will be a game-time decision for when the Clippers
face the Lakers. Griffin has missed the past 14 games because of a
sprained left knee, which he sustained in a 120-115 victory over
the Lakers on Nov. 27. He was originally expected to miss eight
weeks, but has made rapid progress in his rehabilitation.
Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague will be out two to four weeks
with a sprained left knee, according to multiple reports. An MRI
exam detected the seriousness of the injury but also displayed
there was no structural damage. He was injured the fourth quarter
of Wednesday’s overtime victory over the Nuggets. Teague is
averaging 13.4 points and 7.2 assists in his first season with
Minnesota, which saw its five-game winning streak end with a 102-96
loss at Milwaukee.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL=
Cole Bunce’s 33-yard field goal with 3:07 remaining capped TCU’s
comeback from an early 18-point deficit as the 13th-ranked Horned
Frogs edged No. 15 Stanford 39-37 in the Alamo Bowl. The Horned
Frogs trailed 21-3 midway through the second quarter before
rallying with 29 second-half points, including a 93-yard touchdown
pass from Kenny Hill to Jalen Reagor and Desmon White’s 76-yard
punt return score in the fourth quarter. Heisman runner-up Bryce
Love rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinal.
In his final collegiate game, Mason Rudolph threw for 351 yards and
two touchdowns as No. 17 Oklahoma State managed to get by past No.
22 Virginia Tech 30-21 in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando. The
senior quarterback, who’s considered to be a potential early-round
pick in next spring’s draft, completed 21 of 32 passes as the
Cowboys finished 10-3.
No. 18 Michigan State completed its turnaround season with a
dominant 42-17 victory over 21st-ranked Washington State in the
Holiday Bowl. Brian Lewerke threw for 273 yards and three
touchdowns to help the Spartans finish 10-3 one year after a highly
disappointing 3-9 campaign. The Cougars were dealt a second
straight Holiday Bowl loss and played without Pac-12 all-time
passing leader Luke Falk due to an injured left hand.
It appears North Carolina State defensive lineman Bradley Chubb
could sit out the Sun Bowl against Arizona State. A projected
top-10 draft pick, Chubb won the Bronco Nagurski top defensive
player and Ted Hendricks awards, but he hasn’t talked with
reporters this week and done only side work during bowl practice
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren wouldn’t say if Chubb was a game-time
decision: ”No. It’s not. But we’re not going to talk about it.”
Should Chubb sit, it would mark the second straight year that one
of the Sun Bowl’s top stars won’t be on the field. Last season,
Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey sat out.
MLB=
Twins All-Star slugger Miguel Sano is under investigation by the
league for a 2015 incident in which a photographer alleges Sano
attempted to sexually assault her. The photographer, Betsy Bissen,
wrote about the incident on her Twitter account that the incident
happened after Sano participated in an autograph session at a local
shopping mall. “We are aware of the allegations and are now in the
process of looking into it,” MLB spokesman Mike Teevan said in a
statement.
TENNIS=
Novak Djokovic’s comeback has been put on hold as the former No.
1-ranked player withdrew from an exhibition tournament in the
United Arab Emirates with lingering pain in his right elbow.
Djokovic was scheduled to play his first match in nearly five
months – since retiring in the Wimbledon quarterfinals – but was
again forced to retire prior to facing Roberto Bautista Agut.
Djokovic is entered in the Qatar Open, which starts on Monday, and
the Australian Open is just over two weeks away, but this latest
setback could put participating in that tournament in serious
jeopardy.