NBA-SCHEDULE
Rondo a winner in return to Beantown
UNDATED (AP) β Boston Celtics fans have seen Rajon Rondo (RAH’-zhahn RAHN’-doh) enjoy big games on their home court. This time, they weren’t happy about it.
Rondo scored the Dallas Mavericks’ first 10 points and finished with a season-high 29 in a 119-101 victory over the Celtics in Boston. Rondo had a career-high five 3-pointers and also finished with six rebounds and five assists. It was his first game against the Celtics since they traded him to the Mavs last month.
Monta (MAHN’-tay) Ellis scored 22 points and Tyson Chandler collected 16 rebounds to help the Mavericks to their fourth consecutive victory.
Also in the NBA:
β Stephen (STEH’-fehn) Curry poured in 32 points and had 12 assists as Golden State won a battle of conference leaders, ripping Toronto 126-105. Draymond Green posted his first triple-double with 16 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds to help the Warriors improve to 26-5.
β Memphis beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109-106 behind Mike Conley’s 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
β Atlanta won for the 19th time in 22 games as Jeff Teague (teeg) scored 25 points and Paul Millsap added 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 98-92 triumph at Utah.
β Kevin Durant scored 34 points on 12 of 18 from the field in just 32 minutes to lift Oklahoma City past Washington 109-102.
β Ryan Anderson scored 22 points and Tyreke (ty-REEK’) Evans added 21 to highlight the Pelicans’ 111-83 rout of Houston at New Orleans.
β Cleveland ended its three-game skid as Kevin Love scored 27 points and Kyrie Irving had 23 in a 91-87 triumph at Charlotte.
β Gerald Green and Markieff (mahr-KEEF’) Morris each scored 21 points in the Suns’ 112-96 victory over Philadelphia at Phoenix.
β C.J. Miles scored 22 points and Roy Hibbert had 18 to send Indiana past Milwaukee 94-91.
β The Nets are back to .500 after Mason Plumlee had 18 points and nine rebounds in Brooklyn’s 100-98 triumph at Orlando.
β Brandon Jennings scored 29 points and the Detroit Pistons extended New York’s losing streak to 10 games by downing New York 97-81.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BOWL GAMES
UCLA, Houston, Tennessee, Oklahoma State win
UNDATED (AP) β The 14th-ranked UCLA Bruins have ended their college football schedule with their 10th victory.
Brett Hundley ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as UCLA outscored No. 11 Kansas State 40-35. Paul Perkins ran for 194 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard scoring burst that put the Bruins ahead by 12 with 2:20 remaining. Jake Waters was 31 of 48 for 338 yards, two TDs and an interception for the Wildcats.
Houston used three touchdowns and a couple of onside kicks to rally for a 35-34 win over Pittsburgh in the Armed Forced Bowl. Greg Ward threw three touchdowns in the final 3:41 and completed a game-winning 2-point conversion after Pittsburgh went ahead 31-6 early in the fourth quarter. Interim coach David Gibbs opted for a win-or-lose 2-point conversion try with 59 seconds left, and Deontay Greenberry made a leaping catch in the back corner of the end zone to complete the Cougars’ comeback.
Joshua Dobbs accounted for three touchdowns and Tennessee raced out to a 28-0 lead before holding off Iowa 45-28 at the TaxSlayer Bowl. Jalen Hurd ran for two scores in the Volunteers’ first postseason victory since the Phillip Fulmer era.
Mason Rudolph threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns in Oklahoma State’s 30-22 win over Washington in the Cactus Bowl. Desmond Roland ran for 123 yards on 32 carries as the Cowboys avoided a losing season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NORTH CAROLINA-CHIZIK
AP source: Ex-Auburn coach to be new Tar Heels DC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) β Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik (CHIH’-zihk) has accepted an offer to coach North Carolina’s struggling defense. That’s according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person said Chizik will receive a three-year contract.
Chizik will replace Vic Koenning, who was associate head coach for defense the past three seasons but who recently left the program.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-KANSAS-KING
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) β Kansas wide receiver Nigel King will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
King had 29 catches for 518 yards and one touchdown during his only season with the Jayhawks. He began his career at Maryland and transferred to Kansas after earning his degree.
NFL-ALL PRO TEAM
Cowboys lead the way
UNDATED (AP) β The Dallas Cowboys lead all NFL teams with four players named to The Associated Press All-Pro team. Cowboys guard Zack Martin is the only rookie on the squad and is joined by teammates DeMarco Murray, Tyron Smith and Dez Bryant.
Cleveland tackle Joe Thomas earned his fifth All-Pro spot, the most of anyone on the current team. Patriots’ cornerback Darrelle Revis got his fourth All-Pro berth.
NFL PLAYOFFS-INJURIES
Steelers’ Bell to miss Saturday’s playoff game
UNDATED (AP) β The Steelers have announced that Le’Veon Bell’s injured right knee won’t be ready in time for Saturday’s wild-card game against Baltimore. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin ruled his star running back out of the first round game after Bell missed a third straight day of practice. Bell hyperextended the knee in last Sunday’s AFC North-clinching win over Cincinnati.
In other NFL news:
β Bengals receiver A.J. Green didn’t practice Friday because of a concussion that makes him doubtful for Sunday’s AFC wild-card game against the Colts at Indianapolis. Green suffered the concussion during a loss in Pittsburgh on Sunday night and practiced only on a limited basis Thursday. The Pro Bowl receiver has to pass concussion tests before he can fully practice or play.
β Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was held out of practice as the Green Bay Packers prepare for their playoff opener next weekend. Rodgers is recovering from a calf injury suffered against Detroit last Sunday.
β Colts coach Chuck Pagano (puh-GAH’-noh) says right guard Hugh Thornton will not play Sunday against Cincinnati. Thornton missed four of the last five regular-season games with injuries and played just 18 snaps in the regular-season finale before hurting his right shoulder.
β Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly has gained control of the team’s player personnel department after Howie Roseman was promoted from general manager to executive vice president of football operations. The shake-up ends speculation about Kelly’s future in Philadelphia following the dismissal of vice president of player personnel Tom Gamble two days ago. Kelly will hire a new personnel executive who will answer directly to him.
T25 BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Utes whip Trojans
UNDATED (AP) β Tenth-ranked Utah cruised to an easy victory in its Pac-12 opener.
Jordan Liveridge scored 14 points and the Utes shot 57 percent in a 79-55 pounding of Southern Cal. Delon Wright had 11 points and 10 assists, while Brandon Taylor added 11 points to help Utah improve to 11-2.
In Friday’s other top-25 men’s basketball game, Jordan Mathews scored 31 points and knocked down three of his career-high five 3-pointers in the second half to lead California to an 81-75 upset of No. 21 Washington.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-CINCINNATI
Bearcats’ coach to miss the rest of the season
CINCINNATI (AP) β University of Cincinnati basketball coach Mick Cronin will not work games or practices for the rest of the season because of an artery problem. The 43-year-old says he will do everything else he can with the team. Cronin has missed three games since Dec. 20, when Cincinnati announced he had an aneurysm. The Bearcats are 2-1 under assistant Larry Davis.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Pens hammer Lightning…Isles nip Flames
UNDATED (AP) β The Pittsburgh Penguins are back atop the NHL’s Eastern Conference, but they have company.
Steve Downie scored twice and Sidney Crosby collected four assists as the Pens doubled up Tampa Bay 6-3. Downie was productive after missing Pittsburgh’s previous five games with the mumps.
Evgeni Malkin scored for just the second time in 11 games to help the Penguins beat the Lightning in Pittsburgh for the ninth straight time.
The New York Islanders also grabbed a piece of the conference lead as John Tavares scored twice in a 2-1 triumph at Calgary. Jaroslav Halak (YAH’-roh-slahv hah-LAHK’) stopped 22 shots and blanked the Flames until Johnny Gaudreau (GOO’-droh) scored with 3:25 remaining.
The Isles are 7-1-1 in their last nine games, and 2-0 so far on their seven-game road trip.
Elsewhere on ice:
β Matt Beleskey scored the game-winner and had an assist in Anaheim’s 4-3 verdict over St. Louis. The Ducks lead the Pacific Division by 10 points over Los Angeles and top the West by four points over Chicago.
β Michael Bournival (BOHR’-nih-vahl) scored his first two goals of the season and Carey Price made 22 saves as the Montreal Canadiens picked up their fifth straight win, beating New Jersey 4-2.
β Jared Spurgeon and Miiko Koivu (MEE’-koh KOY-voo) scored 1:55 apart in the third period to send Minnesota past Toronto 3-1.
β Carolina beat Philadelphia 2-1 as Brad Malone scored his first goal of the season and Cam Ward stopped 20 shots.
β Roberto Luongo (loh-AHN’-goh) picked up his 68th career shutout by turning back 30 shots in Florida’s 3-0 triumph at Buffalo.
β Colorado pulled out a 2-1 win over Edmonton on shootout goals by Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN’) and Alex Tanguay (TAN’-gay).
NHL-TRADE
Pens and Oilers deal
UNDATED (AP) βThe Edmonton Oilers have traded left wing David Perron to the Pittsburgh Penguins for center Rob Klinkhammer and a first-round pick in the 2015 NHL entry draft. Perron has five goals and 19 points in 38 games this season.
Klinkhammer joins his third team this season after collecting four goals and six points in 29 games.
HOCKEY-WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Americans eliminated by Russia
MONTREAL (AP) β The United States has been eliminated from hockey’s world junior championship with today’s 3-2 loss to Russia in the quarterfinals. Defensemen Anthony DeAngelo and Zach Werenski scored for the Americans, who finish out of the medals for a second straight year after winning the 2013 tournament. Ivan Barbashev and Sergei Tolchinski scored power-play goals for the Russians.
