NBA:
In the NBA, the Clippers beat the Knicks 119-115, Washington edged Brooklyn in overtime 114-110, Sacramento topped Boston 108-92, Memphis beat Phoenix 110-91, Miami bested Milwaukee 106-88, Minnesota won against Toronto 112-109, Utah topped New Orleans 127-94, Golden State crushed Chicago 123-92, Cleveland won against Indiana 132-117, San Antonio beat Philaeldphia 111-103, Atlanta defeated Denver 117-106, and it was Detroit over the Lakers 121-102.
The New York Knicks have added yet another wrinkle to their dysfunction. Former Knicks forward Charles Oakley was arrested during Wednesday's game against the Clippers following an altercation with team owner James Dolan. Oakley shouted at Dolan and shoved security guards before he was pulled away from his seat behind the baseline.
The Brooklyn Nets will wear an Infor logo patch on their jerseys next season after signing a deal with the business software company. The red-and-white patch will be on the front of the jersey near the left shoulder. The NBA is allowing teams to begin wearing logos on jerseys beginning with the 2017-18 season. The Nets said Wednesday that Infor will provide the team with analytical data to improve player performance, as well as arena and business operations.
New York Knicks President Phil Jackson has taken another dig at forward Carmelo Anthony. In a tweet, Jackson referred to a column by Bleacher Report writer Kevin Ding that suggested Jackson is frustrated because Anthony doesn't have the same will to win as other stars. Jackson tweeted on Tuesday: "Bleacher's Ding almost rings the bell, but I learned you don't change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze."
The Hornets will be without backup point guard Ramon Sessions for four to six weeks following surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee. The nine-year NBA veteran is averaging 6.2 points, 2.6 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game playing behind All-Star Kemba Walker.
Authorities in suburban Philadelphia are asking for help from the public in identifying two people who stole Kobe Bryant memorabilia from his high school. Lower Merion Township police released surveillance video of the theft of items from a display case outside the Bryant Gymnasium at Lower Merion High School.
NHL:
In the NHL, Chicago skated by Minnesota 4-3 in overtime.
NCAA:
The sexual assault scandal that hit Baylor University may cost the school millions of dollars in revenue from the Big 12 conference. The league has announced that it will withhold conference revenue until an outside review determines the athletic department is complying with Title IX guidelines and other regulations in the wake of the scandal. The sanctions are the first by the Big 12 since Baylor was hit by a wave of complaints that it mishandled or tried to cover up assault allegations, many of them involving football players. The Big 12 paid out $30.4 million to each conference member last year. Baylor is not being fined as the money is being placed in escrow pending a third-party verification of reforms at the school.
The Saint Louis University men's basketball team lost a game and then their bus while playing in New York. New York State Police say the Saint Louis Billikens walked out of the arena in St. Bonaventure following their 70-55 Wednesday night loss to the Bonnies, and their bus was gone. State police say the 56-year-old unidentified female bus driver had taken off.
Will Rayman scored 28 points on 9-for-14 shooting and collected seven rebounds to lead Colgate past Army 70-58 on Wednesday night.
Kam Williams had 23 points and Trevor Thompson added 15 points and 13 rebounds as Ohio State beat Rutgers 70-64 Wednesday night.
MLB:
New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka says he is not thinking about his opt-out provision. Tanaka's $155 million, seven-year contract allows him to terminate the deal after this season, give up a $23 million annual salary from 2018-20 and become a free agent. Speaking Wednesday through a translator, Tanaka says "It's something that I put aside going into the season." Tanaka arrived at the Yankees' minor league complex Monday for pre-spring training workouts and threw off a bullpen mound Wednesday.
The Royals have announced their two-year, $16 million contract with Jason Hammel. The move is designed to shore up the starting rotation after the death of Yordano Ventura in a car accident last month. Hammel was 15-10 with a 3.83 ERA for the World Series-champion Chicago Cubs last season and has proven to be a workhorse with at least 30 appearances in each of the past three seasons.
In other baseball:
— A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that first baseman Marwin Gonzalez and the Houston Astros have avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth over $3.7 million. Gonzalez hit .254 last year and set career bests with 13 homers and 51 RBIs. His deal includes a 2018 club option worth just over $5.1 million.
— Sergio Romo is preparing to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers after recording a 2.64 ERA in 40 appearances for the rival San Francisco Giants last season. Romo is close to finalizing a one-year contract to become the Dodgers' setup man.
— Reds hurler Homer Bailey is expected to open the season on the disabled list following elbow surgery. The right-hander had bone spurs removed Wednesday after he was limited to six starts last season following Tommy John surgery. Bailey is slated to make $19 million dollars in the fourth season of his six-year, $105 million contract.
— The Athletics will open spring training without the services of pitcher Daniel Mengden, who underwent foot surgery Wednesday after breaking a bone during a bullpen session at home Jan. 31. Mengden had been set to compete for the club's fifth starter spot in camp, which begins next week in Mesa, Arizona. Instead, he is expected to wear a walking boot for six weeks.
— Outfielder Drew Stubbs and pitcher Craig Breslow have agreed to minor league deals with the Twins and will report to big league spring training. Stubbs is a lifetime .244 hitter since breaking into the majors with Cincinnati in 2009. Breslow is 22-29 with a 3.35 ERA in 539 career appearances.
NFL:
The New York Jets have signed free agent offensive tackle Jeff Adams, who spent the last three seasons with the Houston Texans.
Meanwhile the Jets also hired Jeremy Bates as their quarterbacks coach, one of four assistants Todd Bowles added to his staff. The Jets announced Wednesday that Mick Lombardi has been hired as offensive assistant/assistant quarterbacks coach, Jason Vrable as an offensive assistant and Joe Giacobbe as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn has dismissed defensive coordinator Richard Smith and defensive line coach Bryan Cox. The firings come after the team blew a 28-3 lead in the second half of their 34-28 overtime loss to New England in the Super Bowl. Smith could wind up being retained by the team in an advisory capacity after running the defense during Quinn's two seasons in Atlanta. The 48-year-old Cox had been with the Falcons for three seasons.
Former NFL players are getting a heads-up following a concussion settlement. A federal judge in Philadelphia is urging NFL retirees to register for a settlement that could cost the league $1 billion over 65 years. About 22,000 retirees are encouraged to get baseline neurological testing. The league expects more than 6,000 of them to eventually be diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The settlement offers them treatment and possible damage awards that can reach several million dollars for younger men with the most severe neurological damage. The average award is expected to be about $190,000 for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease or moderate dementia. Participants have until Aug. 7 to register for the settlement, which resolves thousands of lawsuits that accused the NFL of hiding what it knew about concussion risks.
PGA:
Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk is altering the U.S. points system used to determine automatic selections to the 2018 team. Points will double only for the winner of the 2018 majors, with everyone else receiving 1 ½ points for every $1,000 earned in those tournaments. One point will continue to be awarded for every $1,000 earned at the 2017 majors and World Golf Championships, and all 2018 PGA Tour and WGCs except opposite-field events.
NASCAR:
NASCAR continues to tweak its rules ahead of the start of its season-opening week at Daytona later this month. Teams will no longer be permitted to return damaged racing cars to the track unless they can be repaired on pit road during a five-minute cumulative time limit. Cars that return to the garage cannot resume racing. NASCAR said the new rule prevents severely damaged race cars from returning to the track and creating a safety hazard for other teams. NASCAR also announced that it will have a traveling safety crew starting this season, creating a consistent medical staff that drivers have been requesting for the last several years.
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