NBA-SCHEDULE
Rockets grab division lead…Bucks crush Hawks…Cavs bounce back
UNDATED (AP) β Josh Smith was quite productive in his Houston Rockets debut.
Smith scored 21 points and had eight rebounds as the Rockets downed Memphis 117-111 in overtime to take over first place in the NBA’s Southwest Division. He shot 9 of 21 while playing 31 minutes off the bench, two days after he was officially released by the Detroit Pistons.
James Harden finished with 32 points and 10 assists to help the Rockets overcome Marc Gasol’s (gah-SAHLZ’) 29 points.
The Grizzlies have dropped four in a row.
Also in the NBA:
β Jared Dudley came off the bench to score a season-high 24 points on 10 of 10 shooting as Milwaukee clobbered the Hawks 107-77. Dudley’s marksmanship included four 3-pointers that helped the Bucks send Atlanta to just their second loss in 16 games.
β LeBron James delivered 29 points and eight assists as Cleveland downed Orlando 98-89. Kevin Love scored 22 points and reserve Dion Waiters added 17 to help the Cavaliers win for the 13th time in their last 17 games.
β Portland thumped Philadelphia 114-93 as Damian Lillard provided 28 points and nine assists. Wesley Matthews hit seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points as the Trail Blazers improved to 13-2 at home.
β Oklahoma City ended Charlotte’s four-game win streak as Russell Westbrook dropped in 29 points to lead the Thunder to an easy 98-75 victory over the Hornets. Serge Ibaka (ih-BAH’-kah) added 13 points, 14 rebounds and blocked four shots for the Thunder.
β Dallas downed the Los Angeles Lakers 102-98 as Rajon Rondo (RAH’-zhahn RAHN’-doh) contributed a season-high 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in his fourth game with the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki added 14 points and passed Elvin Hayes for eighth on the NBA’s scoring list, and 10th on the combined NBA-ABA list.
β San Antonio lost for the sixth time in seven games as Anthony Davis delivered 22 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks to carry New Orleans past the Spurs 97-90. Ryan Anderson also had 22 points and chipped in seven boards as the Pelicans earned their second straight win over the Spurs for the first time in team history.
β The Morris brothers carried Phoenix to a 115-106 win at Sacramento. Marcus Morris shot 6-for-7 from 3-point range and finished with a game-high 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Markief Morris added 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting.
β Kenneth Faried (fah-REED’) was the star in Denver’s 106-102 win over Minnesota, grabbing a career-high 25 points and scoring 26 points. Wilson Chandler scored 21 points as the Nuggets stopped a two-game slide.
β Jarrett Jack’s jumper from the lane with 28 seconds to play gave Brooklyn a 109-107 win over Boston. Jack finished with 27 points to lead the Nets to their third straight win.
β Andre Drummond scored 20 points and Detroit ended a four-game skid by beating Indiana 119-109. Greg Monroe had 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Pistons earned their first victory since cutting Josh Smith.
NBA-KNICKS/ACY SUSPENDED
Knicks Acy to sit one game
NEW YORK (AP) β The NBA has suspended Knicks forward Quincy Acy (AY’-cee) without pay for Sunday’s game against Sacramento due to his flagrant foul against John Wall in a Christmas game against Washington.
Wall was dribbling up the court when Acy knocked him down with a forearm shove late in the game. Wall got up and pushed Acy, who swung his arm and appeared to hit Wall behind the neck and was ejected.
The league says Wall has been fined $15,000 for escalating the confrontation by pushing Acy.
NBA-CAVALIERS/VAREJAO
No timetable for return following Achilles surgery
CLEVELAND (AP) β Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (VAR’-eh-zhow) has undergone season-ending surgery to repair a torn left Achilles tendon. Varejao injured himself as he was battling for a rebound in Tuesday’s win at Minnesota. There is no timetable for his return.
Varejao has missed 166 games the past four seasons with injuries.
NFL-CHIEFS/SMITH
Smith has lacerated spleen, Chargers are banged up
UNDATED (AP) β If the Kansas City Chiefs are to clinch an AFC playoff berth on Sunday, they’ll have to do it without their No. 1 quarterback.
Alex Smith is expected to miss about six weeks after the team discovered he has a lacerated spleen. That leaves the offense in the hands of career backup Chase Daniel for Sunday’s game against San Diego.
The Chiefs need to beat the Chargers and hope that Baltimore loses to Cleveland and Houston falls to Jacksonville to reach the postseason for the second straight year.
The Chargers’ path to the playoffs is a little easier. They need a win over the Chiefs, and they can also reach the postseason with a tie as long as Baltimore doesn’t win. However, San Diego running back Ryan Mathews will have to miss his third straight game with an ankle injury. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen is listed as doubtful with a broken right collarbone.
In other NFL news:
β Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams is listed as probable for Sunday against Atlanta after missing the last three games with a broken hand. Williams practiced fully all week despite a cast on his hand, but coach Ron Rivera says there is still concern whether the franchise’s all-time leading rusher will be able to pass protect and catch the ball. It’s expected the Panthers will rely heavily on Jonathan Stewart, who has averaged 109.2 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry over the last four games.
β Ryan Lindley will be back as the starting quarterback for Arizona when they face San Francisco Sunday with a chance to clinch the NFC West title. Coach Bruce Arians initially said rookie Logan Thomas would start, then changed his mind based on Thomas’ performances in practice. The Cardinals need a win and a Rams upset of Seattle to clinch the division title.
β Browns rookie quarterback Connor Shaw will start the season finale on Sunday against Baltimore. Brian Hoyer is nursing a sore right throwing shoulder and was on the stationary bike during that portion of Friday’s practice that was open to the media.
β The league has fined Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $11,050 for an inappropriate gesture while scoring a touchdown against Arizona last Sunday night. Oakland’s Justin Tuck and San Francisco’s Joe Staley were each fined $22,050 by the NFL for using “abusive” language toward officials in games last weekend. Anquan Boldin of the 49ers was docked $10,000 for head-butting Chargers cornerback Shareece Wright, and Detroit’s Ziggy Ansah was fined $22,050 for an illegal hit to the head of Chicago quarterback Jimmy Clausen.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BOWLS
Bulldogs, Knights win
UNDATED (AP) β Three more bowl games are in the books.
Houston Bates recorded 4 1/2 sacks against his former team and Kenneth Dixon scored one of his two touchdowns on an 80-yard reception to lead Louisiana Tech past Illinois 35-18 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Xavier Woods scored on a 69-yard interception for the Bulldogs, who also had touchdown runs from Jarred Craft and Blake Martin.
Josh Hicks ran for 202 yards and a touchdown to power Rutgers past North Carolina 40-21 in the inaugural Quick Lane Bowl at Detroit. Gary Nova threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns, and Robert Martin ran for 100 yards and two scores to help the Scarlet Knights finish 8-5 in their first Big Ten season.
North Carolina State shredded Central Florida’s top-10 defense for 488 total yards in a 34-27 victory at the Bitcoin Bowl in St. Petersburg. Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown, and Matt Dayes scored on runs of 24 and 15 yards to help the Wolfpack finish 8-5. Running back Shadrach Thornton got N.C. State going early with an 18-yard scoring pass to Jaylen Samuels.
MLB-YANKEES/KURODA
Kuroda move a lot of Carp
TOKYO (AP) β The New York Yankees are losing another starting pitcher.
Japanese media report free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda will return to Japan in 2015 to pitch for his first team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The reports say Kuroda has signed a one year contract worth $3.3 million.
Kuroda pitched for Hiroshima from 1997-2007 and then spent four years with the Los Angeles Dodgers before moving to the New York Yankees.
The 39-year-old Kuroda was 11-9 with a 3.71 ERA.
MLB-NATIONALS
Ex-Brave Uggla gets minor league deal
WASHINGTON (AP) β The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with second baseman Dan Uggla (UHG’-lah) on a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training.
The 34-year-old Uggla hit just .194 this year, playing four games for San Francisco after being cut by Atlanta after the All-Star break.
The Nationals also announced similar deals with reliever Heath Bell, third baseman Ian Stewart, first baseman Clint Robinson and right-handed pitchers Scott McGregor and Mitch Lively.
NHL-DEVILS/DEBOER
Devils boot DeBoer
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) β The New Jersey Devils have fired head coach Pete DeBoer (deh-BOHR’) with the team in danger of missing the playoffs the last three seasons. The Devils are five games under .500 and haven’t won consecutive games since early last month, going 3-8-5 in its last 16. Team president and general manager Lou Lamoriello won’t say who will be the next coach until he speaks Saturday with the players.
NHL-PENGUINS/MUMPS
Two more Penguins have mumps
PITTSBURGH (AP) β Add forward Steve Downie and goaltender Thomas Greiss (GRYZ) to the list of Pittsburgh Penguins dealing with the mumps. The team says that both tested positive for the virus and will remain in isolation.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, forward Beau Bennett and defensemen Olli Maatta (MAH’-tah) had previously been diagnosed with the ailment that has hit several NHL teams.
HOCKEY-WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Yanks open junior tourney with win over reigning champs
MONTREAL (AP) β The United States has opened hockey’s World Junior Championship with a victory.
Jack Eichel and Chase DeLeo scored in a shootout to help the Americans beat defending champion Finland 2-1.
Canada rolled to an 8-0 rout of Slovakia as Robby Fabbri contributed two goals and two assists.
Also on Friday, Russia rallied to beat Denmark 3-2 in a shootout and Sweden topped the Czech Republic 5-2.
