[BC-MCT-SPORTS-BJT] | National Sports

^Friday's games

Tribune News Service

Sports Budget for Friday, December 20, 2019

Updated at 11 p.m. EST (0400 UTC)

^TOP STORIES

^NHL is making changes after bullying, racism allegations pour in

^HKN-BULLYING-SPORTSPLUS:BLO—

What started with the firing of the NHL's highest-paid coach last month has snowballed into a sport-wide discussion about hockey's darker side. Since then three more NHL coaches have resigned or been disciplined over allegations of racial slurs, verbal abuse, physical violence or undefined unprofessionalism. The reckoning has reached all levels of the game.

950 by Jeff Green and Eben Novy-Williams. MOVED

^US senators urge NBC to refuse to air 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

OLY-SENATORS-NBC:PH — Two U.S. senators called on NBC on Thursday to refuse to air the 2022 Winter Olympics, citing China's "abysmal record on human rights."

200 by Christian Hetrick in Philadelphia. MOVED

^Padres' Ian Kinsler retires as player, remains with club

BBN-PADRES-KINSLER:SD — As new Padres manager Jayce Tingler has traveled around the country to meet with players and gotten together with others in San Diego, he has heard one assessment more than any other.

Player after player has volunteered what an effect Ian Kinsler had on them.

And so it makes sense that the team will continue to employ Kinsler, though not as a player.

What had been considered a virtual certainty for some time became official Friday — that Kinsler plans to retire.

Kinsler will serve as an advisor working with major league and minor league players in spring training and throughout the season.

500 by Kevin Acee in San Diego. MOVED

^Junior Johnson, a racing icon who ran moonshine before NASCAR fame, dies at age 88

^CAR-JUNIORJOHNSON-OBIT:CH—

Johnson's death was confirmed by the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., according to NASCAR. Johnson's health had declined and he entered hospice care this week, NASCAR said.

"Junior Johnson truly was the 'Last American Hero,' " NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement. "From his early days running moonshine through the end of his life, Junior wholly embodied the NASCAR spirit."

900 by Joe Marusak and Scott Fowler. MOVED

^Warriors source says Steph Curry is not pictured in leaked nude photos

^BKN-WARRIORS-CURRY-PHOTOS:SJ—

Some may have thought they got too much on Friday morning when nude photos, purported to be of Curry, appeared online, instantly sparking Twitter response.

Several outlets reported news of the photos. Shortly before noon, a Warriors source told this news organization the photos were not of Steph.

As a prank, it was ill-considered and ham-handed.

350 by Gary Peterson. MOVED

^Gene Frenette: Jaguars firing Coughlin was easy call, now what does Khan do for replacement?

FBN-FRENETTE-COLUMN:JK — In the end, Tom Coughlin made it quite possibly the easiest pink slip Shad Khan ever had to issue to one of his top executives, in or out of football.

One of Khan's next biggest decisions — what to do about either replacing Coughlin or how he intends to set up his next Jaguars' power structure — will be far more difficult than jettisoning his front-office czar. I'll get to that later.

As for the ax coming down on the Jaguars' Executive Vice-President of Football Operations, there was an unmistakable irony to the 73-year-old Coughlin being fired a second time Wednesday night by this franchise.

1300 by Gene Frenette in Jacksonville, Fla. MOVED

^Steelers safety Kameron Kelly waived after early morning arrest, altercation with police

FBN-STEELERS-KELLY-1ST-LEDE:PG — Steelers safety Kameron Kelly was arrested early Friday after he got into a confrontation with police officers when he refused to leave a South Side bar, according to court documents.

Pittsburgh police charged Kelly, 23, no address listed, with terroristic threats and resisting arrest. The Steelers on Friday afternoon waived Kelly, who can be claimed by any of the other NFL teams. In his place, they promoted second-year safety Marcus Allen from the practice squad.

Pittsburgh police officer Zachary Webb wrote in a police affidavit that he was working early Friday at Mario's South Side Saloon when a bar employee told him that an unruly patron — later identified as Kelly — needed to be removed.

750 by Andrew Goldstein in Pittsburgh. MOVED

^Robert Griffin III pretends to be a new QB every week. With another Ravens win, he could soon be himself.

FBN-RAVENS-GRIFFIN:BZ — Maybe the hardest part about stopping Lamar Jackson is preparing to stop him. The Ravens quarterback is a generational athlete, and those don't grow on trees or end up on NFL practice squads. He can be as hard to imitate as he is to tackle.

The Kansas City Chiefs used an undrafted rookie cornerback who was a Wildcat quarterback in high school. The Houston Texans turned to a seventh-round quarterback who averaged 1.7 yards per carry in college. New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the team didn't have anyone. Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks joked that he played the "Madden" video game.

1050 by Jonas Shaffer in Baltimore. MOVED

^Daniel Jones returns as Giants starting QB for Sunday's game vs. Washington

FBN-GIANTS-JONES:NY — Giants head coach Pat Shurmur announced on Friday that "barring anything crazy" rookie quarterback Daniel Jones would be starting on Sunday against Washington.

Shurmur said that Jones had a good week of practice and looks ready to go.

Jones missed the last two weeks with an ankle sprain. Eli Manning started the last two games, going 1-1 with a win last week against the Miami Dolphins.

100 by Charles McDonald in New York. MOVED

^Dolphins QB Josh Rosen 'would love to play' but takes benching in stride

^FBN-DOLPHINS-ROSEN:FL—

Rosen, in just his second NFL season, believes he has time on his side.

Coach Brian Flores has often said, including before Sunday's home finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, that while Rosen is improving in practice, Fitzpatrick gives the team its best chance to win.

650 by Safid Deen. MOVED

^Cowboys QB Prescott might not throw until just before game Sunday, Garrett says

FBN-COWBOYS-PRESCOTT:FT — There is no question that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will play in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Too much in on the line for him not to play, as the Cowboys could clinch the NFC title and a playoff berth with a victory.

"This is what you play the game for," Prescott said. "When I was a little boy and dreamed about being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, this is the situation you thought about being in and excited for this moment, this opportunity for our team."

1150 by Clarence E. Hill Jr. in Frisco, Texas. MOVED

^Seahawks' Al Woods suspended four games for using performance-enhancing drugs

FBN-SEAHAWKS-WOODS:SE — The Seahawks have suffered their second loss of a player this week for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

On Friday the league confirmed a report that defensive tackle Al Woods has been suspended for four games.

This comes after Monday's announcement that receiver Josh Gordon had been suspended indefinitely for violating both the policies on PEDs and substances of abuse. The suspension of Woods was first reported by the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and confirmed by a league statement.

400 by Bob Condotta in Renton, Wash. MOVED

^Niners to officially put Rams out of the playoffs

^FBN-PICKS-WEEK16:LA—

950 by Sam Farmer. MOVED

^John Romano: Bucs re-signing Jameis Winston makes the most sense

FBN-ROMANO-COLUMN:PT — So the great quarterback debate is all but complete. And it looks like hope will narrowly beat fear.

That was the heart of the argument when it came to Jameis Winston's future in Tampa Bay. Would he give you faith, or more reason to doubt? Would Winston's 2019 season make the Buccaneers feel better or worse about his potential in 2020 and beyond?

Two games and a bundle of skepticism still remain, but it seems obvious now the Bucs will be bringing Winston back. His last four games, when he averaged 374 passing yards with a 108.4 quarterback rating, made the decision easier, if not entirely popular.

650 by John Romano in Tampa, Fla. MOVED

^Besides some good memories, Chargers ready to give their soccer stadium the boot

FBN-CHARGERS-STADIUM:LA — Melvin Gordon does have a favorite memory of Dignity Health Sports Park.

He saw an entertaining soccer game there once.

As for the venue and American football

"Can't get out of there soon enough," Gordon said, laughing. "Not soon enough."

The Chargers play their final game in their tiny, temporary home Sunday afternoon against Oakland. In 2020, they will join the Rams in SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

After relocating from San Diego before the 2017 season, the Chargers were scheduled to spend two years in what was then called StubHub Center.

750 by Jeff Miller in Los Angeles. MOVED

^5 trade scenarios that could benefit the Bulls this season

BKN-BULLS-TRADESCENARIOS:TB — Sunday wasn't just the day Thaddeus Young, Tomas Satoransky, Daniel Gafford and Luke Kornet became trade eligible, it also marked the start of NBA trade season.

The march to the Feb. 6 trade deadline is on, and the Bulls face a dilemma: They're not receptive to blowing up the roster and going into a rebuild again — at least they haven't signaled that publicly — but in reality they're not in position to be buyers.

The assets the Bulls might want don't necessarily match up with what they can offer.

1250 by Phil Thompson in Chicago. MOVED

^David Murphy: Are the Sixers a championship team? Thus far, they've earned the benefit of the doubt.

^BKN-MURPHY-COLUMN:PH—

850 by David Murphy in Philadelphia. MOVED

^Dwyane Wade embraces watching son 'become into who she now' is, supports LGBTQ community

^BKN-WADE-LGBTQ:FL—

For the Miami Heat legend, that means describing how he's changed as a father, embracing the LGBTQ community, calling out ignorance and talking publicly about his thoughts as a parent to 12-year-old Zion.

"I watched my son, from day one, become into who she now eventually come into," Wade said about the 12-year-old on Showtime's All The Smoke podcast on Wednesday.

600 by Dave Hyde. MOVED

^Kevin Love's two key 3s help lift Cavs over Grizzlies, 114-107

BKN-GRIZZLIES-CAVS:AK — After trailing for most of the fourth quarter, Kevin Love stood at the free-throw line with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter and a chance to give the Cavaliers a lead. He missed it, but he made sure to make up for it.

Love responded by first drilling a 3-pointer to put the Cavs up, 106-103, and then after the Grizzlies hit back-to-back shots, Love again gave the Cavs the lead with another 3-pointer, the latter making it 109-107 with 1:03 to go.

Collin Sexton came away with a steal at the other end and after being fouled, he hit one of two free throws. Another Grizzlies miss and Sexton's offensive rebound after Jordan Clarkson's missed 3-pointer iced the game, and the Cavs went on to win it, 114-107 Friday night.

450 by Ryan Lewis in Cleveland. MOVED

^Kings' core struggles in 119-105 loss to Pacers

BKN-KINGS-PACERS:SA — Kings big men Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III played well, but they didn't get much help from their teammates in a 119-105 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

T.J. Warren scored 23 points to lead the Pacers (20-9), who have won five in a row. Myles Turner scored 17 points. Domantas Sabonis posted 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Holmes had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Kings (12-16), who have lost three of their last four. He was 9 of 10 from the field. Bagley continued to show improvement since returning from a broken thumb, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

600 by Jason Anderson in Indianapolis. MOVED

^Sinking Pistons pummeled by Celtics, 114-93, as injuries pile up

BKN-PISTONS-CELTICS:DE — No Blake Griffin.

No Luke Kennard.

No Christian Wood.

Throw in playing one of the best teams in the NBA, and it was easy to see the Detroit Pistons had no chance Friday night.

The Boston Celtics didn't show any mercy, running to a 114-93 victory at TD Garden.

The Celtics (19-7) forced 25 turnovers, which led to 32 points, and led by as much as 27.

The Pistons (11-18), who have lost three straight, are 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot, but appear to be drawing closer to throwing in the towel with the Feb. 6 trade deadline drawing closer.

350 by Vince Ellis in Boston. MOVED

^Balanced Heat roll to 129-114 win against Knicks

BKN-KNICKS-HEAT:FL — An argument could be made that this game actually was won Monday night in Memphis, when the Miami Heat walked off the court at FedExForum after being stunned by the Grizzlies for their first — and now still only — loss this season to a team with losing record.

That one came after the emotional high of a road victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Friday night's game came after a road victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Pity the New York Knicks, victimized by a 129-114 count by the Heat, with the Heat improving to 11-1 against teams with losing records and 12-1 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

400 by Ira Winderman in Miami. MOVED

^Sixers lose third in a row, fall to Mavericks, 117-98

BKN-MAVS-76ERS:PH — That home-court advantage that the 76ers had enjoyed for most of the season has lost some luster the last two games.

Failing to take advantage of a towering performance from Joel Embiid, the Sixers lost to the Dallas Mavericks, 117-98, on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center.

It was the third consecutive loss for the Sixers (20-10) and their second home defeat in a row. They are now 14-2 at home and host the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

Dallas (19-9) has become the opposite of the Sixers — strong on the road and so-so at home. The Mavericks improved to 11-2 on the road to continue a good week for the club after it snapped Milwaukee's 18-game win streak on Monday.

500 by Marc Narducci in Philadelphia. MOVED

Friday's games

TNS expects coverage from the following games:

Minnesota at Denver, 9 p.m.

Orlando at Portland, 10 p.m.

New Orleans at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

^Acciari nets second consecutive hat trick in Panthers' 7-4 victory vs. Stars

HKN-STARS-PANTHERS:MI — Noel Acciari did it again.

Two games. Two hat tricks.

This time, though, the 28-year-old needed less than four minutes in the middle of the second period Friday to pull off the three-goal feat as the Florida Panthers cruised to a 7-4 win over the Dallas Stars on Friday.

The 3:59 span from the first goal to the third is the shortest in Panthers history.

Acciari is just the second player in franchise history with back-to-back hat tricks, joining Pavel Bure (Feb. 10 and Feb. 14, 2001).

400 by Jordan McPherson in Sunrise, Fla. MOVED

^Rangers collapse in third period, fall to Maple Leafs

HKN-MAPLELEAFS-RANGERS:ND — Rangers coach David Quinn complained Friday that his team doesn't shoot enough, doesn't go to the net enough and doesn't get enough dirty goals.

"If you had judges put numbers up, we'd be at the top of the list of 10s when we score goals," Quinn said before the Rangers hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden. "But we need more greasy goals. We need more goals that are more blue-collar. Hope one goes off a skate, goes off a behind, goes off a shin pad, but that only comes from people going to the net."

Well, the Rangers went to the net Friday and they scored goals because of it. But Alexandar Georgiev, who had seemed to be emerging as the Rangers' No. 1 goalie, allowed a couple of iffy goals 47 seconds apart in the third period, and the result was a third straight loss for the Blueshirts, who fell to the Maple Leafs, 6-3.

600 by Colin Stephenson in New York. MOVED

Friday's games

TNS expects coverage from the following games:

Pittsburgh at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

^COLLEGE FOOTBALL

^Steve Hummer: All's well with Trevor Lawrence as Ohio State, Justin Fields loom

FBC-HUMMER-COLUMN:AT — In the 20 or so miles between Kennesaw and Cartersville, the hometowns of the opposing quarterbacks in the Dec. 28 Fiesta Bowl, there is a choice to be made.

In that borderland, do you tilt toward the hotshot quarterback from Cobb — Ohio State's Justin Fields — or the one from Bartow — Clemson's Trevor Lawrence? There's a powerful local pull to both sides of this big college football playoff semifinal, an added attraction to what figures to be an already spell-binding game.

Asked this week his opinion on how these neighboring precincts might lean, Lawrence came up with an entirely different option.

1250 by Steve Hummer in Clemson, S.C. MOVED

^2020 NFL draft: College bowl player preview

^FBC-BOWLS-PLAYERPREVIEW:SD—

Not only do these games operate as season finales for the college football season, it's also an opportunity to check out the next crop of NFL prospects in one of their final tune-ups before next April's draft in Las Vegas.

Here are 40 players to watch — a single player for every bowl — while you're bingeing on football before, during and after the holidays.

1650 by Eddie Brown. MOVED

^C.J. Doon: 10 bold predictions for college football bowl season

^FBC-DOON-COLUMN:BZ—

1250 by C.J. Doon. MOVED

^Mike Bianchi: Why new FSU coach Mike Norvell should schedule UCF

FBC-BIANCHI-COLUMN:OS. — We had new FSU coach Mike Norvell on our Open Mike radio show a few days ago and he was as passionate and charismatic as he was during his introductory news conference in which he absolutely knocked it out of the park.

But, like any great offensive coach, Norvell was able to deftly run an end-around when I presented him with the opportunity of continuing the high-scoring, heart-palpitating rivalry with UCF that began when he was the head coach at Memphis.

400 by Mike Bianchi in Orlando, Fla. MOVED

^COLLEGE BASKETBALL

^Michigan steals Hunter Dickinson, putting Juwan Howard's recruiting on display

^BKC-MICHIGAN-DICKINSON:DE—

Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 center in the class of 2020 ranked No. 34 overall in the 247Sports composite rankings, attends Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic, a well-known basketball factory in the talent-rich D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area. Dickinson also played for Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit, one of the most talented and recognizable AAU teams across the country that won the Peach Jam in 2018.

Dickinson has been a touted prospect throughout his career, consistently ranked in the upper half of the top-100 rankings.

800 by Orion Sang. MOVED

^Kansas might (again) face a barrage of 3-pointers from Villanova in Philadelphia

^BKC-KANSAS-VILLANOVA-PREVIEW:KC—

"This could be a game they shoot 35 on us," Self, Kansas' 17th-year basketball coach said, referring to the number of 3-pointers that could be launched by No. 18-ranked Villanova Saturday against No. 1 KU.

"We've got to do a good job running them off the line," Self added of KU defenders chasing Villanova's perimeter players, who have combined to average 9.6 3s in 25.2 attempts per game.

900 by Gary Bedore. MOVED

^WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

^How did Stanford women's basketball become the best team in the land?

BKW-STANFORD:SJ — Coach Tara VanDerveer likes to downplay the long-term prospects of her top-ranked Stanford women's basketball team.

After a sweeping 78-51 victory Wednesday night against No. 23 Tennessee, VanDerveer, a basketball Hall of Fame coach, offered a caveat.

"We've got a ways to go before we're there," she said.

VanDerveer, however, understands that she is managing a jump-shooting gold mine with three consecutive impressive recruiting classes, counting next season's incoming freshmen.

900 by Elliott Almond in Stanford, Calif. MOVED

^WRESTLING

^Minnesota lifts suspension of wrestlers after county attorney decides against sexual assault charges

WRE-MINNESOTA-CHARGES-DROPPED:MS — Two University of Minnesota wrestlers had their suspensions from the team lifted Friday, after Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said they wouldn't be charged in a sexual assault case.

Freeman said at a morning news conference that there was "inadequate evidence" to prosecute Gable Steveson and teammate Dylan Martinez, and conflicting accounts of the alleged incident.

In a written statement, the university's athletic department said: "We became aware today of the Hennepin County Attorney's decision to bring no charges against two of our student-athletes. In accordance with our Student-Athlete Code of Conduct, we have decided to lift the suspension of the student-athletes involved. They are immediately eligible to rejoin team activities."

750 by Chao Xiong and Rochelle Olson in Minneapolis. MOVED

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