NBA:
In the NBA, Chicago edged Boston 104-103 and it was Washington over Indiana 111-98.
NHL:
In the NHL, the Islanders doubled up the Rangers 4-2, Ottawa blanked New Jersey 3-0, Buffalo shut out Colorado 2-0, St. Louis beat Vancouver 4-3, Minnesota topped Dallas 3-1, Edmonton doubled up Philadelphia 6-3, and it was Arizona over Los Angeles 5-3.
The NHL has slapped Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette with a 10-game suspension without pay for slashing a linesman in apparent anger after a faceoff. Vermette slapped his stick against the back of linesman Shandor Alphonso's legs during the third period of the Ducks' 1-0 win over Anaheim on Tuesday. The 10-game ban is automatic under league rules and will cost him more than $97,000 in salary. Vermette is expected to appeal the suspension to commissioner Gary Bettman.
NFL:
New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis has been charged with four first-degree felonies and one misdemeanor after allegedly being involved in a fight with two men last weekend. According to a docket sheet filed Thursday night, the 31-year-old Revis is facing two counts of aggravated assault, along with charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and terroristic threats — a misdemeanor — after the incident Sunday at 2:43 a.m. Revis' attorney, Blaine Jones, said in a statement Thursday that Revis was "physically assaulted while at that location by a group of at least five people."
Several people came into Boston Barber and Tattoo Company on the day of New England Patriots Super Bowl victory parade seeking team tattoos, but one request was a little cheekier than the others. A man, wearing a Number 12 Tom Brady jersey, wanted a likeness of the star quarterback on his backside. Shop employee Emily Arsenault tells boston.com, tattoo artist Catarina Quintino took two or three hours to get the job done.
NCAA:
Nico Clareth made five 3-pointers and scored 20 points in 21 minutes and Siena defeated Manhattan 94-71 Thursday night. A Siena basketball fan, dressed up as a mascot, proposed to his girlfriend after she hit a half-court shot during a promotional contest at the game.
North Carolina State has decided the men's basketball team needs a new head coach. Mark Gottfried has been told he will not be coming back for a seventh season, although he will finish the current campaign with the Wolfpack. The decision was announced a day after N.C. State absorbed a 24-point loss to 10th-ranked North Carolina. The Wolfpack have dropped their last six games to fall to 14-13. Gottfried is 122-82 at the school, including NCAA Tournament trips in his first four years that included two Sweet 16 appearances.
NCAAF:
A person familiar with the NFL's decision tells The Associated Press that Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly has had his invitation to the league's scouting combine revoked because of charges stemming from a bar fight, and for being dismissed by Clemson in 2014. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity on Thursday because the NFL has not revealed the reason Kelly was not included on the list of participants released by the league a day earlier.
The decision to exclude Kelly is based on a memo the league issued to teams last month outlining reasons draft-eligible prospects will not be permitted to participate in the weeklong combine in Indianapolis that opens Feb. 28. The memo says prospects will be excluded if background checks reveal past convictions for violence or sexual offenses, or if they were dismissed by their school or the NCAA.
In April 2014, Kelly was kicked out of Clemson following a sideline argument with coaches. In January 2015, Kelly pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct as part of an agreement stemming from a fight with two nightclub bouncers. Kelly's representatives told Buffalo's 1270 Radio on Wednesday their client was initially invited to the combine in early January.
MLS:
The New York Red Bulls and sporting director Ali Curtis have parted ways. The Red Bulls announced the move on Thursday, saying the Major League Soccer team and its director failed to work out differences of opinion over the last month. Curtis was hired as sporting director in December 2014.
MLB:
Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer is dealing with pain from a broken knuckle on his pitching hand. The club says the injury arose late last year. Nationals manager Dusty Baker told the media the team is making plans in case the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner isn't ready for opening day. Scherzer says the injury is to the bottom knuckle on his ring finger and is "essentially healed," but bothers him when he throws.
In news from other major league clubs:
— Chris Carter has finalized a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the New York Yankees. Carter's career-high 41 home runs last season matched Colorado's Nolan Arenado for tops in the National League. He hit .222 with a career-best 94 RBIs while appearing in a NL-leading 160 games last season.
— Pirates reliever Tony Watson has lost his salary arbitration case and will receive $5.6 this year compared to his $6 million asking price. The lefty was 2-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 70 appearances for Pittsburgh last season. Owners are 7-6 in arbitration this winter.
— Mat Latos is at Toronto Blue Jays training camp after agreeing to a minor league contract. Latos spent last season with the White Sox and Nationals, going 7-3 with a 4.89 ERA. He is 71-58 with a 3.60 ERA in an eight-year career that has also included stops with the Padres, Reds, Marlins, Dodgers and Angels.
— The proposed sale of the Miami Marlins to Joshua Kushner has stalled following a report current team owner Jeffrey Loria may be nominated by President Donald Trump to become ambassador to France. Kushner's older brother is Jared Kushner, an adviser to the president. A statement released by Kushner's brother-in-law says the family expressed concern the sale might "complicate" the ambassadorship appointment.
NASCAR:
NASCAR unveiled a revamped penalty system that could levy more punishments on race weekends. Scrapping its six-level class, NASCAR moved to a two-level system where penalties assessed during qualifying or inspections at the track will be immediate and not handled later in the week. Potential penalties at the track include loss of practice time, loss of pit selection, an end of field penalty and even the loss of track access.
Communications giant Arris has renewed its multi-year sponsorship with Joe Gibbs Racing and will serve as the primary sponsor for 22 races with Daniel Suarez in the No. 19 Toyota. Suarez won the second-tier Xfinity Series championship last season. He will replace the retired Carl Edwards this season.
Nature's Bakery is vowing to fight Stewart-Haas Racing in court. The company says it won't be bullied by a $31 million breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by the NASCAR team in a sponsorship dispute involving driver Danica Patrick. Nature's Bakery is among the smallest primary sponsors in NASCAR. It severed its sponsorship agreement with Stewart-Hass Racing and Patrick after the first year of a three-year deal. SHR responded with a scathing lawsuit in which it accused Nature's Bakery of having cash-flow issues and concocting reasons for pulling out.
PGA:
Sam Saunders was the leader when the first round of the PGA's Genesis Open was suspended at storied Riviera Country Club. The grandson of Arnold Palmer opened with a 7-under 64 that leaves him two strokes ahead of Dustin Johnson and four others. J.T. Poston, Daniel Summerhays, Brett Stegmaier and Cameron Percy matched Johnson's 66. Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington are among 11 others at minus4.
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