preview Page 27 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
'On edge' Cavaliers out to continue domination of Wizards
Amidst an uncharacteristic slide, the Cleveland Cavaliers will look to emerge from their five-day break energized as they face the hapless Washington Wizards in the nation's capital on Friday.,Cleveland, which played five games in seven days before the time off, has lost five of its last seven and s...
Hawks, East-leading Pistons meet again after restful break
The leaders in the Eastern Conference standings didn't reach the knockout stage of the NBA Cup. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing for the Detroit Pistons.,They got a much-needed break from the grind of an 82-game schedule with nearly a week in between games. They'll get back in action when they ho...
76ers looking for a ‘rhythm’ in matchup with Pacers
Joel Embiid and Paul George are working out the kinks as they continue to get acclimated to each other on the court.,Embiid and George are expected to play in their third game together this season when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Indiana Pacers on Friday.,The pair struggled in their last outing,...
Bulls, Hornets set to meet after working to fix flaws
The Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets have embraced the time off before their next game, with plenty to fix in advance of Friday night's meeting at Charlotte.,The Hornets have lost three of their last four games, with the most-recent setback coming Sunday in a 115-106 loss to the visiting Denver N...
Red-hot Tre Carroll guides Xavier against Missouri State
Xavier concludes its nonconference schedule by seeking a fifth straight win when it hosts Missouri State on Friday in Cincinnati.,The Musketeers (7-3) have had a week to savor last Friday's 79-74 win over crosstown rival Cincinnati. The expectations were very modest for a Xavier team that was picked...
On hot stretch, Texans out to avoid letdown vs. lowly Cardinals
Riding a five-game winning streak built mainly against fellow AFC playoff contenders, the Houston Texans enter the trap-game portion of the schedule when they host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.,The Texans (8-5) are inside the playoff bubble as a wild-card team entering Week 15 after beating Jacks...
Division leaders peaking as Packers, Broncos duel in Denver
With a 10-game winning streak and two-game lead in the division, the Broncos are climbing with no time for a breather with the Green Bay Packers coming to Denver on Sunday. ,The Broncos (11-2) are two wins clear of the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West and can clinch a playoff berth with a win ag...
Bears not viewing clash vs. floundering Browns as 'trap game'
The forecast calls for single-digit temperatures when the Chicago Bears host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon along the shores of Lake Michigan.,Bears safety Kevin Byard III has an idea: Fans might stay warm by standing up and screaming at the top of their lungs.,"Be as loud as possible, esp...
Jaguars continue playoff push, Jets' plan jumbled by injuries
It's hard not to feel like everything is coming up Jacksonville Jaguars right now.,The Jaguars (9-4) jumped into sole possession of first place with their fourth straight win last week, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 36-19 to take over the top spot in the AFC South.,They are home again Sunday and ...
Desperate Chiefs host Chargers fighting to keep playoff streak alive
With their decade-long streak of playoff appearances in jeopardy, the Kansas City Chiefs will try to ignite their long-shot postseason chances when they play host to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.,The Chiefs (6-7) are on the outside of the playoff field, two games behind the Houston Texans, who...
Riled Ravens on rebound as Bengals fight to avoid elimination
The Baltimore Ravens find themselves outside the playoff picture with four games remaining and a razor-thin margin for error. ,"We're 6-7. The urgency becomes a little more urgent," safety Kyle Hamilton said. "There's no excuses that are to be made at this point.",After losing consecutive games to A...
Depleted Trail Blazers wrap trip vs. struggling Pelicans
The injury-plagued Portland Trail Blazers will aim to end their five-game road trip on a high note when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.,Away from home since the beginning of December, Portland slumped to 1-3 on the trip with a 119-96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.,First-ch...
Predators aim to keep climb going vs. shorthanded Blues
After staggering to a 6-12-4 start, the Nashville Predators have worked their way back toward the Western Conference playoff race. They finally gained confidence while winning five of their last seven games.,"Hopefully we can develop a little bit of consistency," Predators coach Andrew Brunette said...
Hurricanes visit surging Capitals with first place on the line
In a crucial division rivalry, the Carolina Hurricanes travel to face the red-hot Washington Capitals on Thursday.,The Hurricanes are 4-2-0 in their last six games and sit a point behind the Capitals in the standings. A victory Thursday would move Carolina ahead of Washington for first place in both...
G Dennis Hildeby stepping up for Leafs, who next face Sharks
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been able to overcome injuries to their top two goaltenders, and they look to continue that trend Thursday night against the visiting San Jose Sharks.,With Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll out injured, the starting role fell to Dennis Hildeby.,So far, Hildeby has been imp...
Penguins, Canadiens try to recover from deflating losses
The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to rebound from one of their most shocking losses in recent memory when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.,The Penguins held a one-goal lead when they went on a power play with 18 seconds left in the third period against the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Tuesd...
Islanders, Ducks clash on Long Island riding hot streaks
On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders and Anaheim Ducks each helped bolster the other's surprising early-season surge.,On Thursday night, the two teams will try to cool each other off when the Islanders face the Ducks in their first matchup of the season in Elmont, N.Y.,Both teams earned shootout...
Devils, Lightning battle to build on skid-snapping wins
The New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning each had a solid offensive performance to break their respective notable losing streaks.,The teams will look to build momentum at the other's expense on Thursday night when they meet in Newark, N.J.,Cody Glass scored the go-ahead goal with 7:36 remaining...
No. 4 Iowa State brimming with confidence ahead of Iowa game
Fresh off one of the biggest upsets of all time, No. 4 Iowa State hosts its biggest rival on Thursday when Iowa visits Ames.,The Cyclones (9-0) rolled to an 81-58 win at then-No. 1 Purdue on Saturday. The 23-point margin matched the worst home loss for a No. 1 team in AP Poll history.,In shooting 54...
No. 2 Michigan blasts Villanova for another lopsided win
Elliot Cadeau had 18 points and four assists as No. 2 Michigan overwhelmed Villanova 89-61 in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Tuesday night.,Michigan (9-0) came up just two points shy of a fifth consecutive victory by a margin of 30 or more points. The Wolverines, who led by 30 at halftime, had eight players w...