Mavericks end 4-game skid vs. Pacers to stay in playoff hunt

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Mavericks end 4-game skid vs. Pacers to stay in playoff hunt INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Luka Doncic started Monday hopeful he would play at Indiana.A few hours later, NBA officials announced they had rescinded the All-Star’s most recent technical foul and the subsequent one-game suspension. Doncic responded to that news with the kind of dazzling performance the Dallas Mavericks desperately needed for their final playoff push.He finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists, helping the Mavericks snap a four-game losing streak with a dominant 127-104 victory over the short-handed Indiana Pacers.“That’s what he does,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s one of the best players in the league at finding guys and then he’s able to catch and shoot — not just once but multiple times.”The victory keeps Dallas within striking distance of the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder in the race for the final two play-in spots in the Western Conference.Kyrie Irving added 16 points and six assists for Dallas.Indiana was led by Bennedict...

Middleton leads short-handed Bucks past decimated Pistons

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Middleton leads short-handed Bucks past decimated Pistons DETROIT (AP) — Khris Middleton scored a season-high 34 points against the team that drafted him, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons 126-117 without Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday night.“With Giannis out, I knew I had to be aggressive,” said Middleton, who added eight rebounds and five assists. “I had to get to my spots and when I got there, I’ve either got to shoot or find the open man.”Milwaukee improved to an NBA-best 54-21 despite the absences of Antetokounmpo (knee), Jrue Holiday (personal) and Jae Crowder (calf). Goran Dragic made his Bucks debut after signing with the team on March 4, but didn’t score in nine minutes.“Chris has looked really good since he came back from the injury,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He’s obviously going to be shooting it, but he’s doing a lot of good things defensively right now.” Brook Lopez had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Bobby Portis added 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Jevon Carter scored 22.“I was r...

Quickley scores 40 in place of Brunson; Knicks beat Rockets

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Quickley scores 40 in place of Brunson; Knicks beat Rockets NEW YORK (AP) — Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 40 points and Julius Randle had 26 as the New York Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 137-115 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night.RJ Barrett added 19 points, Obi Toppin had 15 and Quinten Grimes scored 14 for the Knicks. Quickley connected on 14 of 17 shots from the field and added nine assists. He started in place of Jalen Brunson, who missed his second straight game with a bruised right hand.Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with 26 points. Jalen Green had 19 and Kenyon Martin Jr. added 18 as Houston dropped its sixth straight game.Randle scored 15 points as the Knicks led 36-33 after the first quarter. His slam gave New York a 23-22 lead and they never trailed again.New York took its first double-digit lead, 49-39, on Josh Hart’s drive with 7:37 remaining in the second quarter.Houston went on a 10-0 run to tie the game, but a Quickley 3-pointer ignited a 12-5 run by the Knicks and New York went on to...

Pezzetta scores shootout winner; Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Pezzetta scores shootout winner; Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3 BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Michael Pezzetta scored the decisive shootout goal and the Montreal Canadiens avoided playoff elimination by rallying to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.Brendan Gallagher forced overtime by scoring his 200th career goal in capping a 3-on-2 rush with a shot from the right circle 8:35 into the third period. Jordan Harris and Alex Belzile also scored for Montreal, and Jake Allen stopped 30 shots through overtime, while allowing one goal on six shootout attempts.Montreal would have been eliminated from playoff contention for a second straight season — and two years removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Final — with any type of loss.Lukas Rousek scored a goal and added an assist in his NHL debut for Buffalo, which dropped to 3-6-3 in its past 12 and blew a chance to move to within four points of the idle Pittsburgh Penguins, who hold the eighth and final playoff spot.Defenseman Riley Stillman and JJ Peterka also scored for Buffalo, while Eric Comrie...

Guardians’ McKenzie could miss 2 months with shoulder strain

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Guardians’ McKenzie could miss 2 months with shoulder strain Cleveland Guardians starter Triston McKenzie could be sidelined for two months with a shoulder strain, an early blow to the defending AL Central champions.The team said Monday night an MRI in Goodyear, Arizona, revealed a strain of his right teres major muscle (back of the shoulder). McKenzie will be shut down from throwing for two weeks and then re-evaluated.The Guardians estimated it will be eight weeks before he’s back.McKenzie was scheduled to start Cleveland’s second game in Seattle on Saturday. Now, manager Terry Francona will be forced to juggle his rotation in the first week, hardly an ideal way to begin the season.McKenzie was removed from an exhibition start Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds after one inning when he felt tightness in his right triceps. He later described it as “a weird sensation.”The 25-year-old McKenzie went 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA in 31 games last season, helping the Guardians pull away in their division. The right-hander struck out 190 in 191...

Unbeaten Gamecocks, Iowa’s Clark star in women’s Final Four

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Unbeaten Gamecocks, Iowa’s Clark star in women’s Final Four SEATTLE (AP) — An undefeated South Carolina team led by star Aliyah Boston and guided by vaunted Dawn Staley, an Iowa squad that features high-scoring Caitlin Clark and the return of LSU and flashy coach Kim Mulkey headline the women’s Final Four this weekend.All of the women’s basketball world will descend on Dallas this week as the Division I, II and III championships will be held there. It’s only the second time that all three divisions will have their title games in the same place.Staley and the Gamecocks are looking to become the 10th team to go through a season unbeaten and the first to repeat as champions since UConn won four in a row from 2013-16. South Carolina advanced to its third consecutive national semifinals and fifth since 2015 thanks to another superb effort by Boston, the reigning AP Player of the Year. The three-time All-American had 22 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Maryland on Monday night.Next up for the Gamecocks is Iowa and the sensati...

Dan Snyder’s future a hot topic at NFL owners meetings

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Dan Snyder’s future a hot topic at NFL owners meetings PHOENIX (AP) — Dan Snyder’s future in the NFL as owner of the Washington Commanders remains in standby mode while his peers gathered at a posh resort for the league’s annual meetings and waited for news on the potential sale of the team.A discussion on Snyder isn’t on the formal agenda this week, three people familiar with those details told The Associated Press on Monday. Still, Snyder was a hot topic of conversation despite his absence and even while quarterback Lamar Jackson’s trade request dominated headlines.“I think he’s put the team up for sale. I believe that something is close to happening,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. “I don’t know that for sure. We’ll wait and see what happens.”Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos recently joined groups led by Josh Harris and Tilman Fertitta to bid on purchasing the Commanders. Once Snyder accepts an offer, he must submit the bidder’s name to the NFL for approval. That hasn’t happened yet, a person told the AP.Last ...

Un puma ataca a un hombre en la cabeza cuando estaba dentro un jacuzzi en Colorado, según autoridades

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Un puma ataca a un hombre en la cabeza cuando estaba dentro un jacuzzi en Colorado, según autoridades (CNN) — Un puma atacó a un hombre que estaba relajándose en un jacuzzi en una propiedad vacacional de alquiler en Colorado, según el Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre de Colorado.“Si bien la víctima sufrió lesiones leves, tomamos este incidente con seriedad”, dijo el administrador de vida silvestre del área Sean Shepherd, en un comunicado de prensa.La víctima afirmó que sintió que algo le agarraba la cara mientras estaba en el jacuzzi con su esposa el 18 de marzo. La pareja estaba alojada en una propiedad vacacional en el área densamente arbolada, a unos ocho kilómetros de Nathrop, Colorado.Una ciudad en Argentina en alerta por un puma suelto“Él y su esposa comenzaron a gritarle y lanzarle agua al animal”, dijo el Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre de Colorado en el comunicado. “La pareja de la víctima tomó una linterna y la apuntó hacia el animal, al cual identificaron como un puma”.La pareja pudo ahuyentar al animal y regresar con seguridad a la propiedad.Entonc...

Lo que Elián González quiere para Cuba como congresista

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Lo que Elián González quiere para Cuba como congresista Cárdenas, Cuba (CNN) — Más de dos décadas después de que lo encontraran flotando en el estrecho de Florida, Elián González asume su papel más destacado desde la amarga batalla por su custodia que lo devolvió a Cuba.Este lunes, el Consejo Nacional Electoral de Cuba dijo que los 470 candidatos a la Asamblea Nacional de la isla, incluido González, habían recibido la aprobación de los votantes. Más del 89% de los electores de Cárdenas, ciudad natal de González, votaron por él, según las autoridades.Votantes en Cuba aprueban a todos los candidatos a la asamblea nacional en la boleta del domingo, informó el Consejo Nacional ElectoralHabía pocas dudas sobre el resultado final: los candidatos son preseleccionados y se presentan sin oposición. Y ser legislador en Cuba no implica necesariamente tener mucho poder. Los congresistas solo se reúnen unas pocas veces al año, apoyan invariablemente las propuestas del gobierno y ni siquiera cobran.Pero el nuevo cargo de González indica que será...

Juvenile armed robbery suspect dies after gunfire exchange in Lakewood

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:47:24 GMT

Juvenile armed robbery suspect dies after gunfire exchange in Lakewood LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) -- UPDATE (9:30 p.m.) - The female suspect that was shot by the Lakewood agent has succumbed to her injuries, police said. Additionally, both suspects were confirmed to be juveniles. A Lakewood police agent was shot while confronting one of two people suspected of robbing a mail carrier.According to Lakewood PD, the armed robbery occurred near South Oak Street and West Dakota Avenue while the USPS employee was working. The female suspects were able to get several items from the mail carrier.There was then a confrontation between the suspects and law enforcement on the same block near West Alameda Avenue. $400K in stolen art, nearly 2,000 fentanyl pills recovered in Lakewood Police said one of the female suspects pointed her gun at agents and the agents fired at her. Life-saving measures were immediately started and she was taken to a local hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.A Lakewood agent was also shot and taken to the hospital but their in...