review Page 595 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Rockets getting lift from different players while Pelicans seek spark
The Houston Rockets have won three straight games and five of their last six.,The New Orleans Pelicans have lost seven games in a row and have just five victories this season.,The team with the second-best record in the Western Conference will visit the team with the worst record in the conference o...
Feeling a holiday snub, Bucks to face Nets next
After having Christmas Day off for the first time in seven seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks will face the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.,Milwaukee players expressed surprise after the Bucks were not selected to play on the holiday. After all, the Bucks were the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference ...
Wizards host Hornets in a matchup of win-starved teams
The NBA highlighted its marquee teams over a five-game Christmas television slate on Wednesday.,Not among those teams were the Washington Wizards or the Charlotte Hornets, who have 11 wins between them. Instead, the bottom two teams in the Southeast Division will meet Thursday night in Washington.,C...
Raptors well aware of challenge Morant, Grizzlies pose
Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic knows firsthand the impact Ja Morant has on the Memphis Grizzlies.,When the visiting Raptors play the Grizzlies on Thursday night, Rajakovic will return to the arena he called home for three seasons as a Memphis assistant coach.,After a league suspension and inj...
Streaking Thunder intent to show worth in clash vs. Pacers
Not getting to play on Christmas has the Oklahoma City Thunder feeling like they have something to prove when they head to Indianapolis for a meeting with the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.,A 57-25 finish to the 2023-24 campaign that resulted in the No. 1 seed in the West wasn't enough to get Okl...
Heat looking to avenge recent setback against Magic
After coughing up a 25-point lead to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the Miami Heat get a shot at redemption Thursday when they hit the road.,"We owe them one," Miami guard Tyler Herro said after the Heat's 110-95 home win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.,Saturday's matchup saw Orlando lose an...
Hawks hoping to reverse recent history with Bulls
The Atlanta Hawks will try to reverse their losing trend against Chicago on Thursday when they host the Bulls for their third meeting of the season.,The Bulls have won the first two meetings against the Hawks this season -- 125-113 in Atlanta on Nov. 9 and 136-122 in Chicago on Nov. 22. The Bulls ha...
Broncos on doorstep of playoffs while Bengals try to stay in picture
One team looking to secure a spot in the AFC playoffs and another trying to simply stay alive meet on Saturday afternoon when the Denver Broncos visit the Cincinnati Bengals.,With a win, the Broncos (9-6) would clinch a berth in the postseason for the first time since winning the Super Bowl at the e...
No. 17 BYU, No. 23 Colorado prepare for Big 12-flavored Alamo Bowl
Conference foes No. 17 BYU and No. 23 Colorado will square off on Saturday night in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.,The Cougars (10-2) and Buffaloes (9-3) once had their sights set on a Big 12 Conference championship game appearance and a berth in the College Football Playoff.,But late-season losses ...
In-state rivals NC State, East Carolina meet in Military Bowl
East Carolina turned its season around following an October coaching change. The Pirates became bowl-eligible, and their reward was a game against an in-state rival.,North Carolina State will meet East Carolina and new coach Blake Harrell in the Military Bowl on Saturday in Annapolis, Md.,Harrell, t...
Star players sit out as Iowa battles No. 19 Missouri in Music City Bowl
Like every team in postseason play, Iowa suffered defections to the transfer portal or NFL draft preparations, like star running back Kaleb Johnson deciding to turn pro.,But the Hawkeyes (8-4) got quarterback Brendan Sullivan back from injury for their Music City Bowl matchup with No. 19 Missouri (9...
Seahawks strive to keep playoff hopes alive vs. Bears
The Seattle Seahawks have only one path to the playoffs: winning the NFC West.,Seattle finds itself heading into a must-win game against the host Bears on Thursday night, and even if the Seahawks can top Chicago and beat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18, they still might miss out on the postseason be...
Nuggets expect tougher rematch after routing Suns to start week
The Denver Nuggets drubbed the Phoenix Suns by 27 points on Monday night.,Denver now bids to complete a sweep of a two-game set when the Nuggets and Suns reconvene on Christmas night in Phoenix.,Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn't expecting another blowout victory on Wednesday night.,"We know playing...
Miami (Ohio), Colorado State take adjustments into Arizona Bowl
Miami of Ohio and Colorado State will try to overcome notable transfer-portal defections during Saturday's Arizona Bowl at Tucson, Ariz.,Miami (8-5) enters the game without its top two wide receivers Javon Tracy and Reggie Virgil after the duo elected to play elsewhere.,Tracy, a redshirt sophomore w...
Nebraska aims to shut down Oregon St. in Diamond Head final
When Nebraska meets Oregon State on Wednesday in Honolulu in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic, it will have a chance to win its first tournament since the San Juan Shootout in 2000.,If the Cornhuskers (9-2) pull it off, there's a good chance Juwan Gary will have something to do with...
Lakers, Warriors enter spotlight chasing bounce-back efforts
LeBron James and Stephen Curry share the national spotlight on Christmas Day for perhaps the final time when the visiting Los Angeles Lakers square off with the Golden State Warriors in the holiday primetime showcase Wednesday night at San Francisco.,Two teams currently sitting in play-in positions ...
Struggling Wolves in search of offense vs. Mavericks
The Minnesota Timberwolves could probably benefit from a holiday break to address the many issues that have led to the team's disappointing 14-14 start.,Instead, the Wolves are set to play in front of a national TV audience when they visit the surging Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.,Minnesota dropped...
Knicks look to stand tall vs. Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
The New York Knicks are no strangers to playing on Christmas Day.,But few of their holiday games have come with the anticipation that accompanies Wednesday's clash against the San Antonio Spurs.,The Knicks will look to remain hot, while second-year Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama will play at Madi...
Celtics looking to bounce back vs. surging Sixers
The Boston Celtics will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season when they meet the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.,The Celtics didn't have Jayson Tatum (illness) for Monday night's 108-104 loss at Orlando and turned in one of their worst performances of the s...
No. 18 Iowa State tries to contain No. 13 Miami in Pop-Tarts Bowl
Fans will have one more chance to watch Cam Ward orchestrate the nation's No. 1 offense when No. 13 Miami plays No. 18 Iowa State in Saturday's Pop-Tarts Bowl at Orlando, Fla.,Ward, the fourth-place finisher for this year's Heisman Trophy and a likely top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, confirmed ear...