SCORES RECAP FROM 01/02/18
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Cleveland 127, Portland 110
San Antonio 100, N-Y Knicks 91
Phoenix 104, Atlanta 103
Charlotte 131, Sacramento 111
L.A. Clippers 113, Memphis 105
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Boston 5, N-Y Islanders 1
Washington 5, Carolina 4 (Overtime)
Tampa Bay 2, Toronto 0
Pittsburgh 5, Philadelphia 1
San Jose 4, Montreal 1
St. Louis 3, New Jersey 2 (Shootout)
Minnesota 5, Florida 1
Columbus 2, Dallas 1
Colorado 3, Winnipeg 2 (Overtime)
L.A. Kings 5, Edmonton 0
Vegas 3, Nashville 0
Anaheim 5, Vancouver 0
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
#5 Xavier 86, Butler 79
#18 Texas Tech 85, #10 Kansas 73
Florida 83, #11 Texas A&M 66
#16 TCU 81, Baylor 78 (Overtime)
Mississippi St. 78, #22 Arkansas 75
Auburn 94, #23 Tennessee 84
TOP SPORTS HEADLINES
In an interview with ESPN Radio, Jon Gruden said he believes
there’s a “good chance” he’ll return for a second coaching stint
with the Raiders. After leading Oakland to 8-8 records his first
two years, Gruden helped the team reach the AFC title game
following the 2000 season and got the Raiders back into the
playoffs the following year. Gruden, however, has been out of
coaching the past nine years while serving an ESPN analyst. He is
scheduled to work the network’s playoff game Saturday between the
Chiefs and Titans and could come back to the Raiders as soon as
next week.
Bills coach Sean McDermott says running back LeSean McCoy is
“day-to-day” with a sprained ankle. McDermott offered little else
on McCoy as the Bills prepare to play the franchise’s first playoff
game since 1999 on Sunday against the Jaguars. McCoy was carted off
the field following a tackle by linebacker Chase Allen in the third
quarter of the Bills’ 22-16 win over the Dolphins. The veteran back
has rushed for 1,138 yards and six touchdowns this season.
Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward has been arrested for possession of
marijuana in Tampa. The three-time Pro Bowl selection was released
a few hours later after posting a bond of $2,500. Ward, who will be
a free agent in March, collected 43 tackles in 12 games with the
Buccaneers after signing a one-year deal worth $5 million in
September.
Chiefs cornerback Phillip Gaines has been placed on injured reserve
with a dislocated elbow he sustained during Sunday’s 27-24 win over
the Broncos. The 26-year-old joins wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas
and running back Akeem Hunt as being placed on IR this week by the
Chiefs, who host the Titans in Saturday’s wild-card matchup. Gaines
recorded 30 tackles and three pass deflections in 14 games this
season.
A day after they signed head coach Marvin Lewis to a two-year
contract, the Bengals have also brought back offensive coordinator
Bill Lazor on a new deal. Lazor was promoted from quarterbacks
coach to offensive coordinator in September, replacing the fired
Ken Zampese after the team failed to score a touchdown through the
first two games of the season. The Bengals showed improvement under
Lazor’s watch, but still finished 32nd in yards per game and 26th
in points.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL=
Alabama will be without one of the defensive stars from its victory
over Clemson as it goes after another national title. Linebacker
Anfernee Jennings won’t play in the championship game against
Georgia after undergoing surgery as a result of a knee injury he
suffered in the fourth quarter in Monday’s Sugar Bowl. Jennings,
who started all 11 games he played this season, had five tackles
against Clemson, including his first career sack as part of his
three tackles for loss.
A day after he was fired by Arizona, Rich Rodriguez’s former
assistant has filed a claim that the coach sexually harassed her
and required her to cover up for his extramarital affair. Lawyer
Augustine Jimenez III is seeking a $7.5 million settlement, saying
that jurors who considered a lawsuit against a coach who misused
his power could award tens of millions of dollars ”in this current
climate where (hash)MeToo is in the headlines.” The university has
said it could not substantiate the woman’s claims but found other
troubling issues, while Rodriguez is denying her allegations but
acknowledged he had an affair.
Florida State has announced that tight end Ryan Izzo will enter the
2018 draft. The redshirt junior reeled in 20 receptions for 317
yards and three touchdowns in 13 games this season. Izzo finished
his career with 53 catches for 754 yards and six scores in 37
contests with the Seminoles. In a statement, he thanked both head
coach Jimbo Fisher and tight ends coach Tim Brewster, who both
departed for Texas A&M prior to the team’s bowl game.
Central Florida claims it has won a national title and will place a
championship banner inside Spectrum Stadium in recognition of its
undefeated season. The Knights posted a 34-27 win over Auburn in
the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to complete a 13-0 season, finishing as
the only undefeated team in the FBS. UCF plays outside the Power 5
Conference and was never given an opportunity to play for a
national championship, finishing 12th in the College Football
Playoff rankings.
NBA=
After looking sharp with 17 points in 19 minutes in his
long-awaited Cavaliers debut, Isaiah Thomas will not play as
Cleveland invades TD Garden to face his former team. Cleveland
snapped a three-game skid with a 127-110 victory over the Trail
Blazers in Thomas’ first game in seven months because of a right
hip injury sustained in last year’s Eastern Conference finals while
playing for Boston. The Cavs defeated the Celtics on opening night
when Boston lost new addition Gordon Hayward, probably for the
year, less than six minutes in. With Thomas out, the LeBron
James-Kyrie Irving “reunion” again takes center stage.
TENNIS=
Still dealing with pain in his right elbow, Novak Djokovic has yet
to make a decision on whether he’ll play in the Australian Open,
where has won six of his 12 major championships. Djokovic has
announced that he make a determination after traveling to Australia
to participate in two exhibition events next week. Djokovic was
forced to withdraw from this week’s Qatar Open, a hard-court tuneup
tournament for the Australian Open.