Best 15 Minutes in Sports–Thursday
…..(Basketball)……
Aztecs-W-(65-57) Nevada….Electric defensive performance by Aztecs….highest ranked team ever beat in school history in knocking out 6th ranked Wolfpack…..SDSU plays street-tough defense ….held Nevada 30% shooting in first half…..forced 19-turnvoers….took 5-charging fouls…..SDSU had 44-rebounds in win….Devin Watson-Jeremy Hemsley combine (30P) in win….Held Jared Caroline (3-12) shooting…Jalen McDaniels (4-15) shooting……State shot 39%….Nevada 33%…..SDSU won 6-of-7…..SDSU (17-11)…Wolfpack (24-2)
USD-vs-Portland…Thursday matchup…..Toreros trying to stop late season slide…lost 4-of-5 games….just (6-8) since January after (10-3) start….Pilots are (7-20)
Duke-L-North Carolina (88-72)….Duke loses C-Zion Williamson with strained knee when slipped on floor when sneaker broke (:33) into the game….Luke Maye (30P) for Tar Heels in road win in Durham….Doctors called it minor knee strain-no idea how long he will be out……#1-Blue Devils-#8 Tar Heels
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(NBA)
Lakers-Houston….LA (28-29) starting second half of season…Rockets (33-24)…G-James Harden (36PPG)….Rockets averaging (113PPG)…shooting 55% from floor…..C-Clint Cappella to return to lineup for Houston from injured list.
Washington..C-Dwight Howard cleared to practice-been out with back surgery in November.
76ers..C-Joel Embiid-MRI-no structural damage in knee.
Boston…F-Gordon Hayward sprains ankle in Celtics workout
LA…former Clipper Glen ‘Baby’ Davis-pays 15,000-fine after pleading guilty to possession of 126-grams of marijuana in drug bust last year.
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……(Baseball)……..
Padres….FA-SS-Manny Machado to spend second day in San Diego taking physical exam…will join team on Friday in Arizona….Sources say he chose Padres because of fully guaranteed money-no deferred money in deal….both White Sox-Phillies proposal had deferred money in package.
Padres…Sports Illustrated reported Padres decided to invest in free agency now because TV ratings have dropped 44% in the last 3-years.
Padres…Ian Kinsler spends entire Wednesday workout day at 2B….Luis Urias and Fernando Tatis rotate at SS…waiting the arrival of Manny Machado to take over at 3B.
Padres..1B-Eric Hosmer says he spent off season working the launch angle of his swing to produce more power fly balls…Met with hitting coach 3-times in off season in Florida to work on mechanics.
Dodgers…P-Kenly Jansen-clocked just (89mph) in live batting practice.
Dodgers..OF-Alex Verdugo given first shot at starting LF job after Andrew Tales fails to show up in camp with personal problmes.
Angels..C-Jon Lucroy draws rave reviews for his pitch framing and help in developing young pitches….Has former catchers on staff to help him..Bad Ausmus..Josh Paul…Jose Molina.
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(Roster Moves)
Bryce Harper….Phillies continue dialogue about upgrade on team’s contract offers…Giants and Washington still in the mix.
White Sox…Tim Anderson criticizes Manny Machado…missed boat on potential 10Y-deal that would have given him (320M)…Sox offer was 8-years with 2-option years plus incentive clauses-could have made total (320M)..more than Padres offer.
Washington…Report Nationals offer to Bryce Harper was (10Y-300M) but 100M..deferred without interest…..was rejected by agent Scott Boras.
Mariners..offer contract to veteran C-Martin Maldonado-ex Angels.
Tigers..Sign FA-2B-Josh Harrison-ex Pirates
Indians..Sign FA-P-Tyler Clippard-ex Toronto-Washington
Pirates..P-Roberto Gomez-fails physical.
Mets..2B-Jed Lowrie leaves camp for MRI on ailing knee
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(MLB)
MLB confirms 6-clubs under investigation for illegal use of camera equipment to tray and steal signs of opposing teams-last hear.
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……(Football)……..
Chargers…Considering releasing WR-KR-Travis Benjamin to clear (6M) salary cap space.
Chargers..Sign FA-WR-Artavis Scott-was on IR last year.
Steelers…Will not franchise tag RB-Le’Veon Bell-making him a free agent.
Steelers…Refuse request to allow agent for WR-Antonio Brown be allowed to talk to other teams about a possible trade….Brown slated to earn 15M next season.
Ravens..Refuse comment they are considering contracting FA-QB-Colin Kaeperneck to discuss coming in as a backup to QB-Lamar Jackson.
Ravens…Ask CB-Jimmy Smith to restructure contract….has 16M-cap figure next year.
Atlanta..Release OG-Ben Garland.
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(Teams)
Raiders…Close in on 2-year lease extension to remain at Oakland Coliseum…would pay (7.5M) rent this year…and have (10.5M) option for 2020 if construction of Las Vegas Stadium falls behind schedule.
Carolina..RB coach-Jim Skipper retires….Hires Jake Paetz-Alabama as RB-coach.
NFL…John Wooten retires at (82Y)….ran the Fritz Pollard Alliance to help minority coaches get hired.
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(College)
Nevada…Hires Jackie Shipp-LB coach…had been at Oklahoma for 9-years.
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…….(Hockey)……..
Gulls-W-Tucson Roadrunners (5-2)….G-Jeff Glass 34-saves…Gulls score 3-goals in 1st period coast to win……..AHL action.
Gulls…Veteran RW-Patrick Eaves assigned from Anaheim Ducks..has (132) career goals in NHL.
LA Kings-Nashville….Thursday night action.
Ducks…Sign F-Jakob Silfverberg to (5Y-27M) extension to bypass free agency.
Washington…Release F-Devante Smith-Pelly
Ottawa…C-Matt Duchene sits out game to avoid injury risk before trading deadline….Senators discussing trades with 6-clubs interested in Duchene.
Columbus…F-Artemi Panarin scratched from lineup…is also on the trade block.
Minnesota-Boston…Bruins trade RW-Ryan Donato (22Y) to Wild for veteran C-Charley Coyle.
Maple Leafs…C-Nazem Kadri-diagnosed with concussion
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……(General)………
World Golf Championships-Mexico…..1st round on Thursday
..(9:39am)-Rory McIlroy
..(9:51am-)Phil Mickelson
..(11:03am)-Tiger Woods
NASCAR….Drivers head into Georgia for Atlanta 500 on Sunday.
Golf…Steve Stricker-named Captain for 2020-US Ryder Cup team.
Soccer…Tottenham Hot Spur….Harry Kane returns to team-been out 4-weeks with ankle ligament problems.
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