NFL:
Star linebackers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher are among four first-time eligible former players selected among the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018. Receiver Randy Moss and guard Steve Hutchinson also made the cut to the finals in their first year of eligibility. They join Tony Boselli, Isaac Bruce, Brian Dawkins, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, Edgerrin James, Ty Law, John Lynch, Kevin Mawae, Terrell Owens and Everson Walls for consideration.
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy missed practice yesterday because of a right ankle injury as the team prepares for its first playoff game in 18 years. Head coach Sean McDermott wouldn't speculate on McCoy's availability for Sunday's game at Jacksonville, only to say the Bills' top offensive threat is day to day. McCoy leads Buffalo with 1,138 yards rushing, 59 catches and eight touchdowns, including two receiving.
The New York Giants have started the interview process for their head coaching job by starting with the man who ran the team for the final month of a disastrous season. Interim coach Steve Spagnuolo was interviewed by new general manager Dave Gettleman, co-owner John Mara and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams Wednesday, three days after the Giants (3-13) ended the season with an 18-10 win over Washington. Co-owner Steve Tisch will meet with the candidates later in the process.
The Oakland Raiders are a step closer to becoming the Las Vegas Raiders. Commissioners in Nevada's Clark County have approved a development agreement with the Raiders. The agreement defines public safety and infrastructure improvements in and around the stadium that the team will finance.
The document does not include a finalized plan for thousands of county-mandated parking spots needed for a stadium the Raiders plan to occupy by the start of the 2020 season. Meanwhile, Jon Gruden says he had a good talk with Raiders owner Mark Davis about returning to the organization for a second stint as coach and believes there is a "good chance" it will happen.
NBA:
Spencer Dinwiddie made the go-ahead jumper with 9.7 seconds left and tied his career high with 26 points, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 98-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves last night. Jimmy Butler missed at the buzzer as the Timberwolves lost for just the second time in nine games. Dinwiddie added nine assists as the Nets improved to 2-0 in the new year — more wins than they had all last January, when they were 1-15.
Bradley Beal scored 27 points, John Wall added 25 with nine assists and the Washington Wizards beat the New York Knicks 121-103 last night. Playing for the first time since he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Beal followed his 39-point outburst on Sunday by hitting 11 of his 14 field goal attempts for Washington, which was won five of six. Marcin Gortat had a season-high 21 points, making 9 of 10 from the field.
Terry Rozier scored 20 points in 20 minutes, stealing the spotlight from LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas in a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals and leading the Boston Celtics to a 102-88 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thomas received a standing ovation when he met his new teammates on the bench late in the first quarter. He missed Cleveland's first 36 games because of a hip injury suffered while playing for the Celtics against the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals last spring.
NHL:
The New York Rangers suffered just their second regulation home loss since Nov. 28. The Chicago Blackhawks scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Blueshirts 5-2.
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed scoring leader Jonathan Marchessault to a six-year, $30 million extension. Marchessault is a big reason why the Knights are shattering numerous NHL records for an expansion team, scoring 15 goals and a career-high 22 assists for 37 points in 37 games. He is making $750,000 this season after being taken in the expansion draft as an unrestricted free agent last summer.
Other news from around the NHL:
— Oilers forward Patrick Maroon has drawn a two-game suspension from the NHL for his illegal check to the head of Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on Tuesday. Maroon was assessed a match penalty on the play.
— Steven Stamkos will serve as captain of the Atlantic Division when his Tampa Bay Lightning host the NHL All-Star game. Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin was selected as the Metropolitan Division captain in fan voting. Predators defenseman P.K. Subban was voted captain for the Central Division and Oilers center Connor McDavid will captain the Pacific Division.
— The Predators say leading scorer Filip Forsberg will be out four to six weeks with an upper-body injury suffered in last Friday's game at Minnesota. Forsberg has 15 goals and 34 points in 37 games this season.
— Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar says goaltender Semyon Varlamov (vahr-LAH'-mahv) is "day-to-day" after suffering a lower-body injury. Varlamov felt some soreness after making a move in net Tuesday night against Winnipeg.
NCAA:
Bryant Crawford scored 19 points to help Wake Forest beat Syracuse 73-67 last night. The Demon Deacons (8-6, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) went ahead for good on Terrence Thompson's scooping layup with 1:56 left. Wake Forest then did just enough to hang on, earning its first win in six tries against the Orange (12-3, 1-1) despite missing five final-minute free throws.
J.R. Lynch and John Carroll scored 17 points apiece to help Hartford hold off Albany for a 72-64 win last night in the America East Conference opener for both teams. Lynch and Carroll combined for 10-of-17 shooting from the field, including 5 of 5 from 3-point range, and made 9-of-9 free throws. Travis Weatherington and Jason Dunne each had 12 points for Hartford (8-7).
UC Iroegbu hit an open 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds on the clock as Stony Brook, after giving up a 20-point lead, held off Maine 71-70 in the America East Conference opener for both teams. The Seawolves (6-9) led 41-28 at the half, and stretched it to 56-36 midway through the second half. Maine strung together a pair of 11-2 runs and grabbed the lead 70-68 before Iroegbu fired up the winner.
Otis Livingston II scored 33 points and had nine assists, each a career high, as George Mason battled past Massachusetts 80-72 in overtime. Livingston missed a last-second shot that could've won the game for George Mason in regulation but Jaire Grayer blocked a desperation 3-point heave by Massachusetts' Luwane Pipkins as time ran out. Grayer scored 20 points and blocked three shots, two in the last 1:10 of regulation.
Stanford tight end Dalton Schultz will skip his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL draft. Schultz was an All-Pac-12 selection this season and finished with 22 catches for 212 yards and three touchdowns. And tight end Ryan Izzo is giving up his senior year at Florida State and declare for the NFL draft.
Donte Grantham scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and Marcquise Reed hit two key free throws to help No. 25 Clemson beat Boston College 74-70 in its first game in the national rankings in nearly eight years.
Two of the Pac-12's best quarterbacks are now available to NFL teams. Southern California signal-caller Sam Darnold has announced on Instagram that he will forgo his final two seasons of eligibility to enter the upcoming draft. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen announced on Twitter that he is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
Auburn cornerback Carlton Davis and tailback Kamryn Pettway are leaving a year early to enter the NFL draft. Davis was a Second Team Associated Press All-American this past season after recording 36 tackles, 11 pass breakups and an interception. Pettway played in only five games this season due to injuries and suspension, one year after leading the SEC in yards per game.
NCAAW:
Katie Lou Samuelson scored 19 points and No. 1 Connecticut routed East Carolina 96-35. Gabby Williams added 18 points, Napheesa Collier had 14 points and Azura Stevens matched a season high with 16 rebounds for the Huskies.
MLS:
The New York Red Bulls have traded midfielder Sacha Kljestan and $150,000 in targeted allocation money to Orlando City SC for forward Carlos Rivas and center back Tommy Redding. The Red Bulls announced the trade of their captain Wednesday. Kljestan helped New York to the Supporters' Shield and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals of the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2015.
Tennis:
Kei Nishikori will not compete in the upcoming Australian Open because of a wrist injury that has kept him sidelined since August. Nishikori could be the first of several top-flight men's singles players to pull out of the first Grand Slam of the year because of injury. Novak Djokovic is still recovering from an elbow injury, top-ranked Rafael Nadal is dealing with a right knee injury and Andy Murray is hampered by a hip problem. Djokovic is slated to play in two exhibition events in Australia next week, but Nadal and Murray have pulled out of this week's tournament at Brisbane.
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