NBA-SCHEDULE
Warriors and Hawks keep on streaking…T-Wolves stun Blazers
UNDATED (AP) — It’s 14 in a row for the Golden State Warriors, and counting. The Warriors continued their team-record winning streak by holding off the Houston Rockets 105-93 despite a game-high 34-point performance by James Harden. Klay Thompson led five Warriors in double figures with 21.
Harrison Barnes and Stephen (STEH’-fihn) Curry chipped in 20 apiece for the Warriors, who own the NBA’s best record at 19-2. Houston fell to 16-5.
The Warriors latest win helped new coach Steve Kerr carve out a slice of NBA history. Kerr became the first rookie coach to win 19 of his first 21 games.
In other NBA action:
— The Atlanta Hawks are on their longest winning streak in 17 years. The Hawks won their eighth in a row, breezing to a 95-79 win over Philadelphia. Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap each scored 17. DeMarre Carroll had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which is 15-6.
— Andrew Wiggins had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves stunned the Portland Trail Blazers with a 90-82 victory to end the Blazers’ five-game winning streak. Corey Brewer had 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Timberwolves, who snapped a six-game losing streak
— Andre Miller threw a perfect lob pass to Bradley Beal, who made a layup at the buzzer to help the Washington Wizards win their seventh straight game, 91-89 at Orlando. The Wizards closed the game on a 7-0 run. John Wall led the Wizards with 21 points and 11 assists.
— The Los Angeles Clippers held off the Indiana Pacers 103-96. Jamal Crawford scored 18 points and DeAndre Jordan grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds. The Pacers have lost six in a row.
— Marco Belinelli scored a season-high 22 points and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 109-95 victory over New York. That’s the Knicks’ 10th straight loss.
— The Denver Nuggets routed Miami 102-82. Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 17. Chris Bosh had 14 points to lead Miami, which has dropped four of its last five on the road after starting the season 5-2 away from home.
— The Dallas Mavericks got 26 points from Monta Ellis in their 112-107 win over New Orleans. Dirk Nowitzki (noh-VIHT’-skee), Chandler Parsons and Devin Harris added 20 apiece for the Mavs
— Derrick Rose scored 23 points, Pau Gasol (guh-SAWL’) had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls routed the Brooklyn Nets 105-80.
— Al Jefferson had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and the Charlotte Hornets withstood Boston’s fourth-quarter rally and beat the Celtics 96-87.
T25 BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Kentucky rallies in second half to beat Columbia
UNDATED (AP) — For a half, Columbia played the role of giant-killer. Then, Kentucky’s size, skill and savvy took over, but not before the top-ranked Wildcats were given a scare by the Lions from the Ivy League.
Columbia scored the first 11 points, led 25-23 at halftime before Kentucky finally shook off its slow start to beat the pesky Lions 56-46. Kentucky is 10-0. Aaron Harrison led Kentucky with 14 and Willie Cauley-Stein added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Before it turned into a scare, the Columbia game was supposed to be a warm-up for Kentucky, which faces No. 21 North Carolina on Saturday.
In other AP Top-25 hoops:
— Frank Kaminsky scored 18 points and Sam Dekker added 17 as fifth-ranked Wisconsin continued its dominance over in-state rival Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an easy 93-54 victory. The Badgers have beaten the Panthers 22 straight times and lead the series 31-1.
— Ninth-ranked Gonzaga beat Washington State 81-66. Przewek (PREHZ’-wehk) Karnowski led the ‘Zags with 22 points and eight rebounds. Byron Wesley added 20 points.
— Tenth-ranked Kansas rallied past Georgetown 75-70 for its sixth straight victory in a sloppy game featuring 33 combined turnovers. Brannen Greene went 5 for 5 from 3-point range and scored a career-high 19.
— Kam Williams scored a career-high 23 points, including 13 in a row for Ohio State in the first half in the 12th-ranked Buckeyes’ 97-43 victory over High Point.
— Number-13 Utah held off Brigham Young 65-62 in the latest edition of the Holy War rivalry. Delon Wright had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 7-1 Utes.
— Dwayne Polee II hit a tying 3-pointer and JJ O’Brien made a go-ahead putback as No. 18 San Diego State rallied with a 19-10 closing run to edge Long Beach State 60-59.
— Richaud Pack scored 17 points, Jake Layman added 15 and No. 19 Maryland coasted past North Carolina Central 67-56. The Terps are 9-1.
— Seth Tuttle finished with 12 points and Deon Mitchell scored nine of his 11 in a first half in No. 23 Northern Iowa’s 65-55 win over Denver.
— No. 24 St. John’s improved to 7-1 by whipping Fairleigh Dickinson 74-52. D’Angelo Harrison scored 26 points to lead the Red Storm.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Leafs beat Wings in shootout…Ducks top Oilers
UNDATED (AP) — Mike Santorelli scored Toronto’s second shootout goal, and the Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. James Reimer (REE’-mur) made 41 saves between the pipes for the Maple Leafs.
In last night’s only other NHL game, Matt Beleskey scored his 14th goal and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves in the Anaheim Ducks’ fifth consecutive victory, 2-1 over Edmonton.
NHL-NEWS
Wild’s Scandella suspended 2 games
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL has suspended Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella for two games for a hit to the head of New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson.
The ban was handed down by the league’s Department of Player Safety on Wednesday, one day after the Wild’s 5-4 home win over New York.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-OREGON STATE-ANDERSON
Wisconsin’s Anderson heads to Oregon State
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez says he hopes to have a replacement for coach Gary Andersen before the 17th-ranked Badgers’ bowl game Jan. 1. Andersen is leaving for Oregon State.
Alvarez says Wisconsin seniors asked him to coach them at the Outback Bowl against Auburn, and that he would make that decision soon.
Andersen replaces Mike Riley, who left the Pac-12’s Beavers to accept the head coaching job at Nebraska after the dismissal of Bo Pelini. Oregon State finished this season 5-7 and had two conference wins, but one came at home against then-No. 7 Arizona State.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-WISCONSION-GORDON
RB Gordon heading to NFL draft
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin running back and Heisman Trophy finalist Melvin Gordon is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
Gordon has run for a Big Ten record 2,336 yards going into the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, when the 17th-ranked Badgers will face No. 19 Auburn
Unlike the departure of coach Gary Andersen for Oregon State, this move was expected in Madison.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWS
Arizona’s Wright named best lineman…UNLV goes with high school coach
HOUSTON (AP) — Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright won the Lombardi Award as the nation’s best lineman.
The sophomore edged Clemson senior defensive end Vic Beasley, Washington senior linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha and Ohio State sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa for the award.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Bishop Gorman High School coach Tony Sanchez is set to take over UNLV’s football program.
The 40-year-old Sanchez was 85-5 at Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman, the top-ranked high school team in the country, winning six straight Nevada high school titles.
NFL-PANTHERS
Newton out of hospital
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton has been discharged from the hospital following a two-car crash on Tuesday that left the two-time Pro Bowl QB with two fractures in his lower back. Team spokesman Charlie Dayton says that Newton has gone home to recuperate with his family and that he is stiff and sore, but otherwise in good spirits.
Newton is thankful to be alive after escaping a horrific-looking automobile accident without any life-threatening injuries.
Newton has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay. Derek Anderson will start in his place.
NFL-PERSONAL CONDUCT
New policy approved by owners
IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL has a new personal conduct policy. Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) announced the changes from the owner’s meetings in Irving, Texas. A special counsel for investigations and conduct will oversee initial discipline. The commissioner also may appoint a panel of independent experts to participate in deciding an appeal. Under the new plan Goodell will retain authority to rule on appeals.
The players’ union has sought negotiations with the NFL on any revamping of the policy, and said Tuesday it would “reserve the right to take any and all actions” should the owners act unilaterally. The union could consider the changes by the owners as a violation of the collective bargaining agreement reached in 2011 to end the lockout of the players.
NFL-INJURIES
Top pick goes on IR
UNDATED (AP) — Houston has placed top overall draft pick Jadeveon (juh-DAY’-vee-ehn) Clowney on the injured reserve two days after he had microfracture surgery on his right knee. The surgery was the second this season for the outside linebacker. The move ends a tough rookie year for the 21-year-old who had sports hernia surgery in the offseason and a concussion in training camp before injuring his knee in his first NFL game.
In other NFL injury news:
— The Arizona Cardinals will be without safety Tyrann Mathieu and right guard Paul Fanaika against the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night, but cornerback Antonio Cromartie will likely play. Mathieu has a broken thumb, Fanaika has a sprained ankle and Cromartie is getting over an ankle injury.
— Jacksonville has placed running back Denard Robinson on injured reserve with a mid-foot sprain. Robinson hurt his right foot early in Sunday’s loss against Houston, but stayed in the game. Tests revealed an injury that takes six to eight weeks to heal.
MLB-WINTER MEETINGS
Dodgers remake infield…Cubbies land Lester…Robertson strikes it rich with White Sox
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Dodgers have acquired second baseman Howie Kendrick from the Los Angeles Angels and are working to obtain shortstop Jimmy Rollins from the Philadelphia Phillies in a remake of their middle infield.
In a flurry of moves late Wednesday, the Dodgers dealt All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon, right-hander Dan Haren, infielder Miguel Rojas and a player to be named or cash to the Miami Marlins as part of a seven-player trade for left-hander Andrew Heaney, right-hander Chris Hatcher, infielder Kike Hernandez and catcher Austin Barnes. The Dodgers then sent Heaney, considered one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, to the Angels for Kendrick.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman wouldn’t say how close he is to finalizing a trade for Rollins or a $48 million, four-year contract with free-agent pitcher with Brandon McCarthy. The Dodgers also have been talking about dealing outfielder Matt Kemp to San Diego.
In other news from baseball’s winter meetings in San Diego:
— The Chicago Cubs improved their rotation by coming to agreement on a multi-year contract with free agent Jon Lester. The six-year pact is worth $155 million and averages out to $25.8 million per season, second highest for a pitcher behind the deal Clayton Kershaw agreed to last year with the Dodgers. Lester began last season with the Red Sox but was traded mid-season to the Athletics. He finished with a career-best earned run average of 2.46, a record of 16-11 and 220 strikeouts.
— Closer David Robertson and the Chicago White Sox have finalized a $46 million, four-year contract. The 29-year old right-hander gets $10 million next year, $11 million in 2016, $12 million in 2017 and $13 million in 2018 under the deal. Robertson was 4-5 with a 3.08 ERA and 39 saves this year, when he took over as the New York Yankees’ closer following Mariano Rivera’s retirement.
— The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo from the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league lefty Joely Rodriguez. The 29-year-old Bastardo went 5-7 with a 3.94 ERA this year with the Phillies.
— Among free agents, Houston agreed to an $18.5 million, three-year contract with Luke Gregerson and a $12.5 million, two-year deal with Pat Neshek (NEE’-shehk), according to people familiar with the negotiations.
— Alex Rodriguez remains over the weight the New York Yankees want him to be at when he reports to spring training in two months. Rodriguez is coming off a season-long suspension for violations of baseball’s drug agreement and labor contract. The third baseman turns 40 in July.
— Veteran broadcaster Dick Enberg, who turns 80 next month, won the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting.
HOCKEY-BELIVEAU FUNERAL
Canada says good bye to No. 4
MONTREAL (AP) — Hundreds of fans, many clad in his famed No. 4 jersey, and a who’s who of hockey stars and politicians paid an emotional farewell to Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau (BEHL’-ih-voh) on a snowy day in downtown Montreal. The afternoon funeral for Beliveau, who died last week at 83, was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other dignitaries.
The service featured affectionate eulogies from former Canadiens teammates Dickie Moore, Yvan Cournoyer (EE’-vahn KORN’-wy-ay), Serge Savard and Ken Dryden, as well as Canadiens owner Geoff Molson.
Dryden, who roomed with Beliveau during the 1970-71 season, summed up his feelings by saying, “He made every occasion better. He made everyone who was there feel that their town, their organization, their province, their country, their event mattered. That they mattered.”
