Michael McDowell couldn't have picked a better time, place or venue in which to get his first victory in 358 career Cup Series starts. McDowell pulled ahead and won the Daytona 500 after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. McDowell was running third when Keselowski got a huge run on Logano. Keselowski tried to pass Logano on the low side, but Logano tried to block him and ended up crashing both of them. That gave McDowell the lead for the only time in the season-opening NASCAR race. Chase Elliott was second, followed by Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin. Hamlin was trying to become the first in NASCAR history to win three consecutive Daytona 500s. A major pileup and a thunderstorm put the race on hold for nearly six hours and led some drivers to head across the street for some food while the event remained red-flagged with just 15 laps completed. The big wreck occurred 14 laps into NASCAR's marquee event, triggered when Aric Almirola turned into pole-winner Alex Bowman and started a 16-car pileup. Christopher Bell started the melee when he pushed Almirola too hard near the front of the field and forced the Stewart-Haas Racing driver to bobble as he tried to avoid a slide.
NBA
The Boston Celtics were expected to challenge for a berth in the NBA Finals. However, they look nothing like a contender when they play the lowly Washington Wizards. The Celtics are a .500 squad at 13-13 after falling to the Wizards for the second time in as many meetings this season, 104-91. NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal lit up Boston for 35 points after sitting out Friday's loss to New York. He appeared rejuvenated as he hit 10 of 18 from the field, converted four 3-pointers and made all 11 of his free throws. Russell Westbrook came close to a triple-double, providing 13 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds as Washington won for only the seventh time in 24 games. Kemba Walker and Jalen Brown each scored 25 points for Boston, which trailed by 24 in the third quarter and lost for the 10th time in their last 16 games.
Checking out Sunday's other NBA action:
The Timberwolves ended a four-game losing streak as Karl-Anthony Towns scored seven of his 20 points late in the fourth quarter of a 116-112 win over the Raptors. Malik Beasley also scored 20 points and Anthony Edwards added 18 for Minnesota, which shot 69% in the second half.
Anthony Davis will undergo an MRI after re-aggravating his sore right Achilles in the first half of the Lakers' 122-105 loss to the Nuggets. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic contributed 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in his sixth triple-double of the season. LeBron James furnished 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Lakers' seven-game win streak was halted.
Lou Williams scored a season-high 30 points and had 10 assists in his first start of the season to carry the Clippers' 128-111 win over the Cavaliers. Marcus Morris added a season-best 23 points off the bench as Los Angeles won comfortably despite playing without stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Suns picked up their sixth straight victory by whipping the Magic, 109-90. Mikal Bridges finished with 21 points and Phoenix never trailed after jumping out to a 14-2 lead.
Justin Jackson furnished a season-high 22 points and hit a critical 3-pointer in the final minute to help the Thunder top the Bucks, 114-109. Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth triple-double of the season.
Damian Lillard's 34 points and 11 assists sent the Trail Blazers to their fourth win in a row, 121-118 against the Mavericks. Dallas guard Luka Doncic finished with 44 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, one game after scoring a career-high 46 points.
The Spurs outlasted the short-handed Charlotte Hornets, 122-110 behind Dejounte Murray's 26 points and 12 rebounds. Derrick White scored 12 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, helping San Antonio to its fifth win in six games.
Jonas Valanciunas scored a season-high 25 points and had 12 rebounds as the Grizzlies won for just the second time in their last seven games, 124-110 versus the Kings. Dillon Brooks delivered 22 points for Memphis and Ja Morant added 16 with 10 assists despite a rough shooting night.
Mason Plumlee recorded his first career triple-double by providing 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the Pistons' 123-112 victory against the Pelicans. Josh Jackson had a team-high 21 points went 17 of 35 from beyond the arc in spoiling Stan Van Gundy's return to Motown.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
In women's college basketball, Marist drubbed Siena 60-44, and Manhattan outscored Iona 48-44. In men's college basketball, Vermont defeated Stony Brook 61-57, and Hartford bested NJIT 75-61.
In top-25 men's basketball:
Michigan had to shift into comeback mode on Sunday as it resumed its men's basketball schedule following a COVID-induced, 3 1/2-week layoff. The third-ranked Wolverines trailed by 14 in the first half before Wisconsin's shooters went ice cold in Michigan's 67-59 win over the 21st-rated Badgers. The 14-1 Wolverines scored the game's final eight points and pulled ahead for good with 1:46 left on a tiebreaking putback from Hunter Dickinson, who had 11 points and 15 rebounds. Isaiah Livers scored 20 points for Michigan, which was playing for the first time since Jan. 22. The Badgers shot 7 of 28 in the second half and missed their last 11 3-point attempts.
In Sunday's other top-25 game, Tremell Murphy scored 17 points, including the go-ahead basket in overtime as Drake rallied past No. 22 Loyola Chicago, 51-50. The Bulldogs overcame 33% shooting and a 42-32 deficit to improve to 20-2 overall.
NHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins remain perfect at home at 5-0 after beating the Washington Capitals for the third time this season. Bryan Rust scored twice and had an assist in the Pens' 6-3 downing of the Caps. Rust and Brandon Tanev tallied 32 seconds apart later in the first period to give Pittsburgh the lead. Rust later ended the Penguins' 0-for-20 power-play drought by beating Vitek Vanecek 6:44 into the second, putting Pittsburgh ahead for good. The Capitals suffered their fourth consecutive regulation loss despite Nicklas Backstrom's 250th career goal.
In Sunday's other NHL game, Max Pacioretty second-period goal stood up as Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves in the Golden Knights' 1-0 victory over the Avalanche. Vegas improved to 5-1-0 since returning from a pause due to COVID-19 protocols and leapfrogged the Blues to reclaim first place in the West Division. Colorado played for the first time in nearly two weeks after its schedule was paused due to coronavirus protocols.
TENNIS
Play is underway on Day 8 of the Australian Open. Jessica Pegula has reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal by earning her first victory over an opponent ranked in the Top 10. The 61st-ranked American beat No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in Rod Laver Arena. The 25-year-old Pegula has won four matches at Melbourne Park over the past week after entering the tournament with a total of three Grand Slam match wins for her career. Pegula's next opponent is Jennifer Brady, who was a 6-1, 7-5 winner against Donna Vekic. Brady had nine aces and continues to play dominant tennis after going through two weeks of hard quarantine following her arrival to Melbourne. She was not allowed to leave her hotel room at all during that time because someone on her flight tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal remains on course for a men's-record 21st Grand Slam singles title. The world No. 2 reached the Australian quarters for the 13th time by dropping just nine games in a straight-sets win over 16th seed Fabio Fognini. Nadal's next opponent is fifth-seeded Stefano Tsitsipas, who advanced when No. 9 Matteo Berrettini pulled out of their fourth-round match with an abdominal injury. Tsitsipas lost to Nadal in the Australian Open semifinals two years ago.
Daniil Medvedev has added the Australian Open to his list of major quarterfinal appearances and stopped the run of 192nd-ranked American Mackenzie McDonald, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Andrey Rublev was given the right to play Daniil Medvedev in the quarters when Casper Ruud had to retire with an apparent stomach muscle injury. Rublev was leading the match, 6-2, 7-6.
PGA
Jordan Spieth was unable to complete a quest for his first tour victory since the 2017 British Open. Daniel Berger closed with a 7-under 65 that gave him a two-shot win at the PGA's Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Berger got into the mix quickly with an eagle and finished it off with one even better, holing a 30-foot putt on the par-5 18th for an 18-under total. Spieth went from a two-shot lead to a three-stroke deficit through six holes before completing a 70. He needed to birdie the last two holes to tie for third with Patrick Cantlay, who shot a 68. Maverick McNealy finished second with his fourth straight round under 70, firing a 6-under 66.
MLB
The New York Mets hope they've bolstered their bullpen by signing left-hander Mike Montgomery and righty Tommy Hunter to minor league contracts that include invitations to big league camp. The 34-year-old Hunter went 0-1 with one save and a 4.01 ERA in 24 games for Philadelphia last season. He also has played for Texas, Baltimore, the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. The 31-year-old Montgomery pitched three games for Kansas City last year, giving up three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Used in a variety of roles, he is 23-34 with three saves and a 3.84 ERA in 183 games over six seasons with Seattle, the Cubs and Kansas City.
Also, the agent for Yusmeiro Petit says the veteran reliever has agreed to a $2.55 million, one-year contract to stay with the Athletics, pending a physical. The 36-year-old Petit will return for a fourth season in Oakland, having gone 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA over 26 outings and 21 2/3 innings last year. In another Oakland bullpen move, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations says Sergio Romo is close to accepting a one-year package.
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