NFL-SCHEDULE
Playoff spots up for grabs
UNDATED (AP) β Four division titles and two playoff spots are at stake during the final Sunday of the NFL regular season. And at least one of the teams will make it into the post-season with a losing record.
That’s because 6-8-1 Carolina visits 6-9 Atlanta with the NFC South title and automatic playoff spot on the line. A Carolina win or tie puts them into the Super Bowl chase. Atlanta needs a win to wrap up the division.
The showdown for the NFC North crown takes place in Green Bay where the Packers take on Detroit. Both teams are 11-4 and already in the playoffs, but the winner gets a week off and a guaranteed home game in the playoffs. The loser plays a wild card game on the road next week.
Pittsburgh hosts Cinncinati for the AFC North title tonight. The winner claims the division and a home game when the playoffs start next week. The loser must start the long march to the Super Bowl on the road.
San Diego is at Kansas City in a game with important implications. The Chargers can wrap up the final AFC playoff spot with a win, while the Chiefs need to win and get some help to stay in the post-season derby.
Seattle can claim the NFC West with a win at home against the Rams. A Seahawks loss or tie opens the door for the Cardinals to wrap up the division, if they can beat the 49ers on the road.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Busy Cavs play again
UNDATED (AP) β LeBron James and his Cavaliers teammates are going to have to have a talk with the NBA’s schedule makers.
Cleveland is at home to host Detroit today for their third game in four days, including a Christmas Day visit to Miami. The Cavaliers have split the previous two.
Portland stands a good chance of improving its 13-2 home record when the Trail Blazers host the Knicks. New York has lost seven in a row and only has five wins this season.
Southwest Division-leading Houston heads to San Antonio tonight in an all-Texas shootout. The slumping Spurs have lost six of seven.
Oklahoma City hopes that league MVP Kevin Durant will be back when they play at Dallas tonight. The Thunder star forward has missed the last five games with a sprained ankle, but coach Scott Brooks said Durant looked good after a recent morning shoot around.
There are six games on the NBA schedule.
TOP 25-SCHEDULE
Badgers look to extend streak
UNDATED (AP) β No. 6 Wisconsin will put an impressive streak on the line when it hosts Buffalo as part of a four-game Top 25 schedule today and tonight. The 11-1 Badgers go into the meeting with a 50-game regular-season winning streak against unranked non-conference opponents. The Badgers should be well rested after playing just one since Dec. 13. Buffalo is 7-2 with one of their setbacks coming against No. 1 Kentucky.
No. 17 St. John’s is off to a 10-1 start to the season for the first time since 1990-91. The Red Storm will try to improve on that when they take on Tulane today in the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival.
No 13 Washington takes on Stony Brook and 23rd-ranked Northern Iowa hosts South Dakota State in the other games involving ranked teams.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Light slate in the NHL
UNDATED (AP) β Anaheim is back in action after its shootout loss to Arizona last night, when it hosts Vancouver. Despite last night’s defeat the NHL-leading Ducks are 17-0-6 in one-goal games this season. The Canucks return to the ice for the first time since a Monday 7-1 win over the Coyotes.
Toronto is at Florida for the only other game on the schedule.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-MIAMI-JOHNSON’S FUTURE
Hurricanes Johnson to turn pro
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) β Miami running back Duke Johnson is skipping his senior season of eligibility and entering the NFL draft.
Johnson rushed for 1,652 yards this season and finished his Miami career with 3,519 yards in 33 games. He leaves the Hurricanes having set or tied at least 11 significant school records, including many as a kick returner β despite not playing on special teams this season.
WORLD CUP-MEN’S DOWNHILL
Gagong scores WC win
SANTA CATERINA, Italy (AP) β Calling it a “perfect run”, Travis Ganong has claimed his first World Cup victory by winning the men’s downhill in Italy. The Squaw Valley native mastered the new Deborah Compagnoni course despite finishing 26th in Friday’s only training session. His time of 1 minute, 32.42 seconds was nine-hundredths better than Olympic champ Matthias Mayer of Austria.
