review Page 9 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Panthers ride hot streak into clash with rival Lightning
The Florida Panthers are 8-2-0 over their past 10 games and looking to stay hot Saturday night against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.,It's a rivalry matchup pitting two teams that have combined to win four of the past six Stanley Cups. In addition, either the Lightning or the Panthers have won th...

Kyle Whittingham waves farewell as No. 15 Utah battles Nebraska in Vegas
One of the longest and most successful college football tenures will be coming to an end when Utah and Nebraska meet in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31.,Utah coach Kyle Whittingham announced earlier this month he would be stepping down after 21 seasons. The 66-year-old Whittingham is 177-88 with the U...

QB questions, playoff positioning in play as Packers host Ravens
The Packers tied up a playoff spot on Christmas night thanks to the rival Lions' loss, but Jordan Love and company can try to improve their NFC North hopes and extinguish the Ravens' shot at crashing the AFC field when Baltimore visits Green Bay in prime time Saturday night.,The Ravens (7-8) fumbled...

Rams, Falcons to showcase weapons in season's final 'MNF' game
With slim NFC West hopes still alive, the visiting Los Angeles Rams return to action after an extended break when they face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.,In order to clinch its second straight division title, Los Angeles (11-4) needs to beat Atlanta and the Arizona Cardinals, while the Seattl...

Clippers aim for season-best 3-game win streak at Blazers' expense
Kawhi Leonard's hot streak is inserting much-needed life into the Los Angeles Clippers.,Leonard looks for another superb outing and the Clippers seek a season-best third straight victory when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.,Leonard scored 32 points in Saturday's 103-88 victory...

After holiday off, Eastern Conference-leading Pistons take on Jazz
Left out of the 10-team Christmas Day showcase despite owning the best record in the Eastern Conference and sent on the road to spend the holiday in the West, the Detroit Pistons have plenty of incentive to put on a show when they visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night in Salt Lake City.,And the Piston...

Can Justin Herbert exorcise demons when Chargers host Texans?
Justin Herbert threw just three interceptions during the 2024 regular season before topping that total in a miserable playoff performance against the Houston Texans.,Herbert gets another opportunity against Houston in a crucial clash Saturday when the Chargers battle the Texans in Inglewood, Calif.,...

Pelicans look to resume recent surge against visiting Suns
The Phoenix Suns begin a four-game road swing on Friday night with the first of back-to-back contests against the New Orleans Pelicans.,The weekend double-dip in the Big Easy marks the second and third of four matchups between the Western Conference counterparts, with the Suns winning the first in P...

Bucks visit Memphis looking to grind out another road win
The Milwaukee Bucks got an early Christmas gift in the form of a rare road victory on Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.,Is it greedy to covet a post-Christmas road win, too?,The Bucks will get the opportunity to make it two straight when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday n...

Raptors hope to keep bouncing out of slump vs. struggling Wizards
Looking to take advantage of the team with the worst record in the league, the visiting Toronto Raptors wrap up a three-game road trip on Friday against the lowly Washington Wizards.,The upstart Raptors sit as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference in the way-too-early postseason picture, but have...

Streaking Bulls open six-game homestand against Sixers
Winners of four straight after a stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Chicago Bulls aim to maintain momentum as they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.,Chicago kicks off a six-game homestand on the heels of Tuesday's 126-123 victory in Atlanta, which saw the Bulls rally from an 18-po...

Pacers vow to 'keep fighting' ahead of rematch with Celtics
The Indiana Pacers will try to find their scoring touch and end a six-game losing streak when they meet the Boston Celtics on Friday night in Indianapolis.,The Pacers haven't won a game since Dec. 8, leaving coach Rick Carlisle one win shy of 1,000 career NBA victories. Indiana is last among NBA tea...

Hornets carry modest momentum into clash with Magic
Hot-shooting rookie Kon Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets look to continue a surge when they visit the Orlando Magic on Friday night.,Charlotte has won three of its last five games and Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick out of Duke, leads all rookies in scoring with 19.4 points per game and is shooti...

Heat, Hawks aim for post-Christmas turnaround
No NBA teams have struggled more over their past 10 games than the Miami and Atlanta. The Heat and Hawks, who have won only two games apiece over that stretch, will try to begin their turnaround on Friday in Atlanta when they face each other for the first time this season.,The Heat have lost three i...

Lions' fleeting playoff hopes on line Christmas Day vs. Vikings
The Detroit Lions are down but not out.,Not yet, at least.,The Lions (8-7) try to keep their dim playoff hopes alive when they take on the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) in a Christmas Day matchup on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.,Detroit comes off a crushing 29-24 loss Sunday at home against the Pitts...

Rashid Shaheed providing special spark for Seahawks with Panthers looming
Rashid Shaheed has helped put the "special" in the Seattle Seahawks' special teams.,Shaheed returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown last Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams, sparking a 16-point, fourth quarter comeback in Seattle's 38-37 overtime victory.,The NFC West-leading Seahawks (12-3) will...

Two of NFC's best face off when 49ers host Bears
Two teams with aspirations of claiming the NFC's top seed battle Sunday night when the Chicago Bears take on the San Francisco 49ers at Santa Clara, Calif.,Both teams have 11-4 records but the NFC North-leading Bears are currently in the No. 2 position while the 49ers are at No. 5.,Chicago clinched ...

Pride, and the No. 1 pick, on the line in Vegas as Giants visit
To the loser goes the spoils as the Las Vegas Raiders play host to the New York Giants on Sunday.,The side that falls short in the second-to-last game of the regular season moves into sole possession of the bottom spot in the overall NFL standings, and in clear view of next year's No. 1 overall draf...

Pats head to New York with AFC East, perfect road record within reach
The New England Patriots will look to continue their road dominance Sunday when they visit the New York Jets in Week 17.,New England clinched a playoff berth and improved its road record to 7-0 when it beat Baltimore 28-24 last Sunday night. The Patriots, who will play the Dolphins at home next week...

Browns bank on spoiling Steelers' celebration
When the football is placed on the tee at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon for opening kickoff in Cleveland, the possibility exists the Pittsburgh Steelers will have nothing on the line.,That's because a loss by the Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay on Saturday night would nudge the Steelers onto the thron...